Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn expressed the team’s receivers did well with their first opportunity to replace Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin. Treylon Burks, Antonio Williams and Stefon Diggs all contributed to the team’s 27-10 victory over the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday.
But that doesn’t mean the Commanders couldn’t still add a wideout at the NFL trade deadline. On Tuesday, CBS Sports’s Zachary Pereles pitched a big move — the Commanders acquiring former first-round wideout Brian Thomas Jr.
Pereles proposed the Commanders send a 2027 fourth-round pick and defensive tackle Shy Tuttle to the Jaguars for Thomas.
Thomas was a college teammate of Jayden Daniels at LSU. The Commanders would look at this as an investment for the present but also for the future,” wrote Pereles. “Terry McLaurin is out for the season, and there’s a potential out in his contract this offseason. Stefon Diggs is on a one-year deal.
“Throwing in Tuttle could help push this deal over the edge, as Jacksonville is looking for interior defensive line help after DaVon Hamilton’s injury.”
Thomas posted 87 catches for 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie during 2024. Since then, though, he’s fallen out of favor under new head coach Liam Coen.
This season, Thomas has 10 catches, 117 receiving yards and two scores in seven games.
Could the Commanders Really Buy at the NFL Trade Deadline?
The Commanders won only their second game of the season Sunday night against the Eagles. A team taking until Week 8 to notch a second win isn’t typical of buyer at the trade deadline.
Pereles admitted that there’s no guarantee the Commanders won’t sell at next Tuesday’s deadline.
“The Commanders are a team that could go one way or the other ahead of the trade deadline. They’re only 2-4-1, but they play in the woeful NFC East,” wrote Pereles. Week 9 will be crucial; if the Commanders can spring an upset of the Rams, they could shift toward buying.
If they lose and the Giants and/or Cowboys win, selling could make more sense (though coach Dan Quinn and GM Adam Peters will be keen on keeping their jobs, meaning they might not want to sell).
Washington’s last game before the deadline on November 8 could determine the team’s final decision. But Thomas could remain a target regardless because, as Pereles put it, he’s an investment for the future.
Thomas has one more season on his rookie deal. That means he is an affordable option through 2027. The Commanders could also exercise his fifth-year option in May. That would prevent Thomas from reaching free agency until March 2029.
What Brian Thomas Could Bring to Washington
With Thomas, the Commanders would accomplish a few different goals.
First, they would provide quarterback Jayden Daniels another outside receiver. It would also give the Commanders a youthful playmaker and potential long-term replacement for McLaurin.
Diggs and McLaurin were Washington’s two starting receivers to begin this season. But McLaurin is out with a patellar tendon tear. The injury could sideline him for a majority of 2027. Diggs, who turns 33 this month, will also be a free agent next March.
The Commanders could pair Thomas with Williams, a third-round rookie, in 2027 and beyond.
The Jaguars selected Thomas at No. 23 overall in the 2024 NFL Draft. He was an immediate star as a rookie, but limited opportunities have hurt his production since the start of last season.
The Commanders sending Tuttle and a draft pick for Thomas could work for Washington and Jacksonville. The Jaguars would still get draft capital for the receiver but also a player who could help their 2026 push in the AFC South.
Tuttle has posted 13 combined tackles, including three for loss in seven games this season. The 31-year-old has also registered two sacks and two quarterback hits.
Proposed NFL Trade Ships Commanders 1,200-Yard WR