Trade noise surrounding Brian Thomas Jr. reached a boiling point after head coach Liam Coen benched the receiver for the entire second half against Houston.
With the NFL trade deadline closing in and the Jacksonville Jaguars yet to shut down speculation, VP Tony Boselli went public to defend the second-year wideout, signaling the Jaguars aren’t throwing in the towel on Thomas just yet.
Jaguars VP Thomas Boselli on Brian Thomas Jr. Trade
“Guys have bad days sometimes,” Boselli told Action Sports Jax. “It’s the way it goes, but Brian Thomas is a Jaguar, and we know that he’s going to help us.”
Boselli publicly pulling for Thomas carries real weight in front-office circles, especially given how fast the wideout’s market value appeared to be tanking. With Coen issuing a cold “week-to-week” ultimatum and benching Thomas after multiple first-half drops against the Houston Texans, Boselli’s backing provides crucial cover.
It signals that the Jags won’t just dump a former first-round weapon for pennies on the dollar, even as deadline calls pour into the front office.
The timing of the statement is particularly unique, because ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler released a clear inside scoop around the same time. Fowler revealed multiple league executives expect Jacksonville to seriously consider moving Thomas before the deadline. He explicitly identified the Steelers and Chiefs as prime contenders to pounce if the Jaguars put the former first-round target on the block.
It all comes down to whether Coen keeps Thomas Jr. on the bench. Week 7 is a buy, so the rumor mill will keep churning all sorts of trade pitches landing Thomas Jr. on every receiver-needy team possible.
The Jags cannot quiet the trade noise with press conference quotes while Thomas sits on zero receptions over a two-week span.
The only way to prove Boselli’s words hold weight and to stop those rumors, if the Jaguars are really not interested in trading their wideout, would be letting him get reps, and Thomas Jr. actually making catches on those plays.
Jaguars Trading Brian Thomas Jr. Makes Most Sense
Without that, rival front offices see a classic sell-low situation brewing in Duval.
Pittsburgh and Kansas City both entered the year searching for a vertical threat, and Thomas’ current sub-60 PFF coverage grade won’t scare off teams convinced his drop in production stems from Coen’s system rather than a loss of talent. If Jacksonville’s asking price sits at a mid-round pick, expect a bidding war to break out fast.
Plus, the math behind a potential move makes sense for both sides.
Thomas put up 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024, but his production has nosedived under Coen, bottoming out at just nine catches for 105 yards through six games in 2026.
Shipping out a former top pick who is currently averaging under 20 receiving yards a game allows Jacksonville to dump a scheme misfit while landing draft equity before his market completely crashes.
The Jaguars still hold leverage with the deadline looming, but rival front offices are actively testing the waters to see how cheaply they can pull Thomas away. The real question centers on what general manager James Gladstone is actually willing to accept.
If contenders like the Steelers or the Chiefs low-ball the Jaguars with late-round offers, expect Gladstone to hold firm. But if a desperate team steps up with top-100 draft capital, Jacksonville might finally pull the trigger rather than ride out a messy receiver dynamic through the second half..
Jaguars VP Breaks Silence on Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Rumors Ahead of Deadline