The Jacksonville Jaguars have maintained the stance that they’re not going to trade Brian Thomas Jr.
If they aren’t totally convicted in that choice, though, there will be an opportunity to move him, for sure.
That’s because there are as many as a quarter of the teams in the NFL who could be looking for wide receiver help between now and the Tuesday, Nov. 10, 4 p.m. ET trade deadline.
There are a bunch of wideouts on the market, but BTJ offers something most of them don’t — a contract that goes beyond this season.
The Jags value Thomas, despite his lack of on-paper production. If they didn’t, they may have traded him away a while ago.
But it’s also true that Thomas’ role for Jacksonville at this point is minimal, at best. Considering the number of teams that want wide receivers, there’s a chance the bidding becomes too high for the Jaguars to pass up.
8-Team WR Trade Market
ESPN’s Dan Graziano wrote on the potential for wide receiver trades after Sunday’s games concluded, and he both mentioned Thomas while also noting that as many as eight teams could want a receiver.
“Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. is a player teams have had their eyes on since the spring,” Graziano writes. “The Jaguars have said they don’t want to move him, but deadlines change minds and if the offers get good enough, you can’t rule this out.”
Thomas, when considering how good he was as a rookie in 2024, is also one of the most exciting possibilities on the market, although his downfall with the Jaguars does seem to bring some risk, too.
Still, there are so many suitors that Thomas would definitely move if the Jaguars are willing to pull the trigger.
“I think the receiver market will be aggressive,” Graziano writes. “The list of contenders that really need wide receiver help includes the Chiefs, Patriots, 49ers, Steelers, Seahawks and Rams. You could also make a case the Broncos and Giants belong in that group.”
Teams in the NFL are getting more aggressive at making trades to help their rosters before the deadline. If the Jaguars are going to trade Thomas, they’ll have options.
Jaguars Alternative
The alternative is that the Jaguars keep Thomas through Tuesday’s deadline.
If they do that, it’s up to the Jags to figure out how to maximize Thomas’ potential going forward. Maybe he’s never a star again, but if they’re going to pass up trade costs, they have to make sense of the best way to use him to take advantage of the fact that he’s still around.
One way or the other, this saga will enter a new chapter by Tuesday night.
Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Sees 8-Team Market