The Kansas City Chiefs and the 49ers spent weeks hunting down Brian Thomas Jr., but Jacksonville flat-out refused to budge.
With the clock ticking down, both contenders had to scramble and find their wideout help elsewhere.
Chiefs, 49ers Acquired WRs After Weeks of Interest in BTJ
The Chiefs found their answer in Indianapolis, sending 2027 fourth- and fifth-round picks to the Colts for Josh Downs and a 2027 seventh-round pick.
“I am beyond grateful and blessed for my time in Indy. Nothing but love For the Shoe,” Downs posted to X on Tuesday.
San Francisco went right back to that same trade line, sending a 2027 sixth-round pick to Indy for Keenan Allen. It’s the second deal between the 49ers and Colts in three weeks, following the DeForest Buckner blockbuster on October 27.
While the AFC West and NFC West heavyweights were busy pivoting, the Jaguars shocked the room by playing the deadline strictly as buyers. Despite heavy league-wide noise pointing to Jacksonville as a fire-sale seller, they added three defensive pieces and locked down the roster.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed just hours before the trade deadline that the Jaguars had no intention to trade Thomas.
“The Jaguars plan to keep WR Brian Thomas Jr. through the trade deadline, per sources. They have relayed that to interested teams. Coming off multiple big trades Monday, Jacksonville plans to keep its roster intact, barring a surprise,” Fowler wrote.
Jaguars GM Reaffirms Team’s Trust in Brian Thomas Jr.
Once the deadline was up, Gladstone reaffirmed the team’s trust in Thomas Jr.
“Yeah, we have a ton of value when it comes to BTJ,” Gladstone said after the trade deadline. “You know, his role and what I imagine his contribution will be down the stretch here is going to be notable.”
Gladstone made it clear that Thomas did not demand a trade or force his way out. That is part of the reason they did not feel a need to trade him. They like what he brings to the room, and he is happy with where he stands.
“He’s such a good person to work with, such a good teammate,” Gladstone added. “So I expect a lot of good to come in what lies in front. Knowing that at this point in time our wide receiver room, in particular, has got such a range of skill sets at its disposal, and those that complement each other really well.”
Jaguars Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Decision Sent Chiefs and 49ers Scrambling on Deadline