Brian Thomas Jr. keeps landing in the middle of trade chatter, and now the latest ESPN read only adds more fuel to the fire.
On Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano dug into which star wide receiver could be next to move after the Arizona Cardinals sent Marvin Harrison Jr. to the Houston Texans. Graziano’s answer was Thomas, though he was careful to note that Jacksonville has not given any sign it wants to deal him.
“Jacksonville’s Brian Thomas Jr. is a name teams get most excited about; but so far, the Jaguars have not indicated a desire to trade him,” Graziano wrote. “He seems to have fallen behind both Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers in the Jaguars’ wide receiver pecking order, which is one reason teams are interested in finding out if he’s available. It’s a logical thought: Thomas is a former first-round pick and a top talent who might fit better in a different offense, similar to Houston’s thinking on Harrison.”
That only deepens a storyline that has been building for months. Thomas has been a steady topic around the league since the offseason, and his name has already surfaced in plenty of speculation.
In August, the Jaguars reportedly rejected two “significant” trade offers for the receiver, who burst onto the scene with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie. Then in September, he was linked with the Pittsburgh Steelers, keeping the rumor mill spinning.
The production hasn’t matched the hype so far in Jacksonville. Thomas has played five games this season and has 9 catches for 105 yards and one touchdown. He’s still young, and the appeal around the league is obvious, but the Jaguars have not shown any interest in moving him.
Graziano also pointed to another possible name down the line, mentioning Browns receiver Jerry Jeudy next, especially after rookies Denzel Boston and KC Concepcion started showing strong production.
For now, Thomas remains a name that teams are circling and Jacksonville is not selling.
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