Saints trade Davon Godchaux to the Jaguars for a conditional sixth-round pick
Jacksonville announced the deal on Monday, pending a physical, on a day when the Jaguars also added Jessie Bates III and Jordan Davis. In New Orleans, the move leans on the growing role of Khristian Boyd and could open snaps for rookie Christen Miller.
NEW ORLEANS: The New Orleans Saints traded defensive tackle Davon Godchaux to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Monday for a conditional sixth-round draft pick, a deal both clubs announced on Nov. 9. Jacksonville said the trade is pending a physical. Neither announcement specified which draft the pick belongs to.
The trade was one of three defensive additions Jacksonville made on Monday. The Jaguars traded for safety Jessie Bates III in the morning and for defensive tackle Jordan Davis later in the day, then added Godchaux for the interior of the line. Jacksonville placed defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton on injured reserve last week, and Godchaux gives the club six healthy defensive tackles.
Jacksonville general manager James Gladstone made the case for the veteran in the team's announcement. "We feel strongly about Davon and what he can bring to the team both on and off the field," Gladstone said. "Much like Jessie, he has been a productive player in this league for a number of years and provides stability up front to further solidify our defensive line."
A Louisiana lineman moves on
Godchaux, 31, is a native of Plaquemine, Louisiana, who played at LSU and entered the league as a fifth-round pick, 178th overall, by Miami in 2017. He is in his 10th NFL season, having played for the Dolphins from 2017 to 2020, the New England Patriots from 2021 to 2024, and the Saints in 2025 and 2026. Across 145 career games, with 128 starts, he has recorded 5.5 sacks, three forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
His New Orleans stint ends after a season and a half back in his home state. He appeared in all 17 games in 2025, starting 14, and in 2026 he appeared in all eight games, with 15 tackles, before the trade. His last appearance as a Saint came on Sunday, in the 23-22 overtime win over Cleveland at the Superdome.
Head coach Kellen Moore, in comments reported on the team's official site, confirmed the trade and pointed to the players behind Godchaux on the depth chart. The deal was made possible in part by the increased role of Khristian Boyd, Moore said, and it could open a rotation opportunity for rookie Christen Miller. Boyd had one of the Saints' five sacks against Cleveland on Sunday.
McCoy expected back this season
Moore also gave an update on center Erik McCoy, who left the Cleveland game late in the fourth quarter with a biceps injury. Moore said he expects McCoy to miss time but that the center could return this season. The injury did not appear to be a long-term one, and Moore did not expect it to require surgery.
Godchaux joins a Jacksonville team that is 6-2 and plays at Tennessee on Sunday. New Orleans, 3-5, stays home and plays Carolina, also 3-5, on Sunday, Nov. 15. The two teams share first place in the NFC South going into the game, and Atlanta and Tampa Bay, both 3-6, trail the pair by a game in the loss column.
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