Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen says trade deadline additions Jessie Bates and Jordan Davis will sit out Week 10. Neither player has had a bye this season, so the team decided to give them time to recover and continue learning the Jaguars’ system.
“Jessie Bates and Jordan Davis will not play on Sunday due to not having a bye with their workload and the way the season falls, from a scheduling standpoint,” Coen said Friday. “We want to make sure player safety is a priority and put them in a position to succeed. They also need time to learn the system.”
The Jaguars will play fellow trade addition Davon Godchaux, who is coming off the New Orleans Saints’ bye week. Coen said the team considered its options for Bates and Davis throughout the week before deciding to hold them out.
## Jaguars Praise Bates and Davis’ Preparation
Coen stressed that the decision was not related to either player’s preparation. He praised Bates for his commitment to learning the defense, saying the safety had been staying late to study and work through the communication demands of the position.
Bates has played for two teams before, as has Godchaux. Davis, however, is experiencing his first NFL team change and must learn a new scheme. Coen praised the former first-round pick’s work with the team’s strength and conditioning, sports science, and athletic training staff. He said Davis is working toward being ready to play the following week.
The Eagles and Falcons are both on bye this week, giving Bates and Davis additional time to rest. Bates also returned after playing in Spain the previous week.
Jacksonville is a strong favorite against the Tennessee Titans in Week 10. The Jaguars then face the division-leading New York Giants on the road in Week 11, and the team hopes to have Bates and Davis rested and ready for that matchup.
