The Jacksonville Jaguars further solidified their standing as the frontrunner in the AFC South division by cruising to a comfortable 33-10 victory over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football. While the Ravens were admittedly being led by undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano at quarterback, the Jags were merciless in taking control from the opening kickoff.
Now, all eyes will shift to the upcoming trade deadline, as Jacksonville has some business to conduct. While the team has put itself in position to add some new faces, it also has a big decision to make on struggling wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. For months, Thomas has been the subject of trade rumors, and according to one insider, it sounds like he’s ready for a fresh start with a new team.
Brian Thomas Jr. Reportedly Open to Jaguars Trade
Thomas has gone from being on the verge of superstardom to a complete afterthought in Jacksonville’s offense. After getting selected with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Thomas immediately put together a Pro Bowl campaign (87 REC, 1,282 YDS, 10 TD), with the overarching expectation being that he would be a key piece of the team’s passing attack for years to come.
Instead, Thomas has been surpassed by Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers on the wide receiver depth chart. Through eight games, Thomas has just 10 catches for 117 yards and two touchdowns, which is a staggering development. Thomas still clearly has tons of talent, but for whatever reason, things aren’t working out for him in Jacksonville.
Thomas once again caught zero passes against the Ravens, marking the third time in the past four games he has failed to haul in a single pass. While the Jaguars can’t seem to figure out whether or not they want to trade Thomas, NFL insider Jeremy Fowler of ESPN seems to believe that the former first-round pick is ready to skip town.
“Jacksonville has said that they don’t want to trade him, that they’d rather add than subtract, because they’re looking for a big-ticket defensive lineman,” Fowler said on “The Rich Eisen Show.” “(Thomas) played like 19 snaps last night, no catches … I think he wants out at this point, so do they package Thomas in a deal to get a d-tackle?”
Jaguars Need to Make a Decision on Brian Thomas Jr.
Considering how well the Jaguars are playing, it makes sense that they want to hold onto Thomas. The problem with that train of thought is that Thomas isn’t really contributing to the team’s success. Even with his struggles, he still carries value on the trade market, but if Jacksonville holds onto him and doesn’t use him for the rest of the year, that may not ring true once the offseason rolls around.
The timing feels right when it comes to a Thomas trade, especially if he were to be used to bring some defensive line help in return for his services. The Jags can sit back and see how things unfold over the weekend before making a final call here, but with interest in Thomas high, it seems like a trade may be beneficial for both the player and the team.
Insider Reveals Brian Thomas Jr.’s Stance on Ongoing Jaguars Trade Rumors