With the NFL trade deadline drawing closer, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell floated a headline-grabbing idea involving one of the Jaguars’ most recognizable young players: Brian Thomas Jr.
In Barnwell’s proposed deal, Jacksonville would send Thomas Jr. to the Las Vegas Raiders and get a 2027 second-round pick back in return.
Barnwell tied the hypothetical price tag to the Marvin Harrison Jr. trade, writing: "The Marvin Harrison Jr. trade established an asking price for Thomas," Barnwell wrote. "Harrison was a better prospect entering the league in the same draft class, which would make him more appealing to teams that really value their scouting reports.
Thomas, on the other hand, has actually had a high-end season as a pro, racking up 1,282 yards as a rookie while catching passes from Lawrence and Mac Jones. I'm not sure there were a lot of teams lining up to trade a second-round pick for Harrison, but the Cardinals were able to find one.
I expect that the Jaguars could also find one here."
That’s still a speculative exercise, and it runs against everything Jacksonville has said publicly. The Jaguars have made it clear they do not plan to move Thomas Jr., and NFL insiders have echoed that stance. But the on-field reality has made his place in Liam Coen’s offense harder to pin down.
Thomas Jr. has seen his role shrink as the season has gone on. His production has been limited for most of the year, and his snaps have dropped sharply as well. Against Houston on Sunday, he played only 15 offensive snaps and didn’t appear at all in the second half.
"Week to week. Guys have to step up and make plays," Coen said of Thomas Jr. after the Houston game, via ESPN.
The numbers tell the same story. Thomas Jr. has nine catches on 18 targets for 105 yards and a touchdown this season, and he hasn’t caught a pass in the last two games.
Meanwhile, the Jaguars have other pass-catching options taking on bigger roles. Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers are leading the wide receiver group, Josh Cameron has been earning more chances, and Travis Hunter also appears positioned for more work. Jacksonville’s heavy use of two- and three-tight-end sets only adds to the squeeze on Thomas Jr.’s playing time.
For now, the Jaguars don’t need to move him simply because his fit looks awkward. They can ride it out and see how it develops. But after this latest game, they may be more open to hearing out trade calls than they were before.
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