The Eagles have an A.J. Brown-sized problem on their hands, and the search for a replacement has already started to drift into one of the more intriguing corners of the rumor mill.
One name that keeps popping up is Brian Thomas Jr. of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Zach Berman of The Athletic doesn’t think there’s a single move out there that suddenly vaults Philadelphia into a different tier, but he did point to Thomas as the kind of receiver who could add something the Eagles don’t currently have.
“So I'm not sure there's that one move available that pushes them over the edge," Berman wrote. "If Brian Thomas were available, I still think he [can] give the Eagles a dimension that they don’t have in the passing game."
That idea doesn’t sound nearly as far-fetched as it might at first glance. Philadelphia has the kind of roster Berman described as being “among the top five” in football right now, and the team’s offseason choices suggest it is prepared to lean on DeVonta Smith as the lead option. The Eagles also added a rookie first-round pick in Makai Lemon, along with veterans Dontayvion Wicks and Marquise "Hollywood" Brown to round out the group.
Still, the question around Smith has never really gone away. He has shown he can handle being the top target, but only in a very small sample, and the discussion around his 6-foot, 170-pound frame is not going anywhere.
On the other side of the equation, Jacksonville’s handling of Thomas has only added fuel to the speculation. He arrived in 2024 and immediately looked the part of a No. 23 overall pick, then took a sharp step back in Year 2. The reasons for that dip are layered, but the bigger issue is that the Jaguars have kept building around him in ways that make his future look less certain.
Jakobi Meyers joined the mix last season and quickly became a major piece, leading the Jaguars in targets with 61 and receptions with 42 from his Week 10 debut onward. The team’s confidence in him showed up in a lucrative long-term extension.
Parker Washington also made a strong push for a bigger role and could be in line for a new deal soon. Add in Brenton Strange, and the money and attention already flowing to those players makes Thomas harder to place.
Then there’s Travis Hunter, the No. 2 pick in 2025. Jacksonville went all-in to land the wideout and cornerback, and the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner now has to justify that investment with his expected work on both sides of the ball. That only tightens the squeeze on Thomas.
For Philadelphia, the appeal is obvious. The Eagles have plenty riding on 2026 after winning Super Bowl LIX and then flaming out in Wild Card Weekend, and that puts Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni under heavy pressure. If the offense sputters or lacks punch, Thomas would be an obvious player to revisit.
And with the assets Philadelphia picked up from sending Brown to the New England Patriots, the idea of the Eagles pouncing on a buy-low opportunity doesn’t look nearly as wild as it sounds. This isn’t even the first time Thomas has been mentioned as a possible Eagles target in recent months.
In Other News...
Eagles Are Being Pushed Toward A DeVonta Smith Decision
DeVonta Smith has long looked like the kind of receiver who could handle a bigger stage, and now the Eagles may be headed toward a decision that matches that reality. With his steady production and every-down reliability, Smith has built a case as one of the more dependable pass catchers in the league, the sort of player an offense can lean on even as the roster around him changes.
The money part is where things get interesting. Smith is already paid well, but his current deal still sits below what many top wideouts are making, and his durability only strengthens the argument for a new agreement. Philadelphia does not have to rush, but if Smith keeps performing like a true No. 1, the Eagles may eventually have to decide whether to reward him now or let the market force the issue later. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Fans May Not Like Where Jonathan Greenard Just Landed
Jonathan Greenards first offseason with the Eagles has already produced a little bit of a split-screen view. On one hand, he was left off ESPNs recent top-10 edge rushers list for 2025 after a shoulder injury shortened his season and dulled some of the production that had made him such a disruptive force the previous two years. On the other, Eagles on SI still slotted him 12th on its list of the top current Philadelphia players, a reminder that the appeal here is bigger than one down year.
Howie Roseman made that case when he acquired Greenard in a draft-weekend trade from the Vikings, praising the edge rushers relentless style and the kind of impact he can have on a pass rush. For Eagles fans, the interesting part now is where Greenard fits in the league-wide conversation versus what Philadelphia believes it just added, because those two views are not lining up just yet. [Read more 🡒]
Eagles Interior Line Just Got A Crucial 2026 Reality Check
The Eagles interior line enters 2026 with a little more scrutiny than usual after a season in which both Landon Dickerson and Cam Jurgens were dealing with injuries that clearly affected how they played. Dickerson was working through a meniscus issue from training camp and his production dipped with it, while Jurgens also spent the year fighting through a back problem, leaving Philadelphia with more questions than it is used to having inside.
There is at least some reason for optimism now, with both linemen said to be recovering well as the new season approaches and the Eagles also adding younger help in the draft. ESPNs latest interior line rankings offered a reminder of how much ground there is to make up, though, since neither Dickerson nor Jurgens cracked the top 14 and each only drew some votes. [Read more 🡒]