The Washington Commanders are heading into their Week 7 bye with a problem they can’t afford to ignore. Terry McLaurin is gone for the season after a knee injury, and that leaves Jayden Daniels without his most established outside target at a time when the offense needs help fast. At 1-4-1, Washington has to decide whether it wants to ride out the season as-is or make a real move before the trade deadline passes.
One option stands out: Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
The Commanders’ season has already been a grind. They dropped back-to-back games to Philadelphia and Dallas, beat Seattle, lost 30-13 to Indianapolis, then settled for a 27-27 overtime tie with the New York Giants.
Monday night brought another setback, a 23-17 loss to San Francisco that left Washington sitting at 1-4-1 going into the bye. Daniels still gave the offense something to build on, throwing for 300 yards and two touchdowns against the 49ers, but McLaurin’s absence changes the entire shape of the passing game.
Washington does still have options. Stefon Diggs is there, and Chig Okonkwo gives the offense another pass-catching piece.
Antonio Williams, Treylon Burks, and Dyami Brown could also see bigger roles. But the Commanders can’t assume those internal moves will replace what McLaurin provided.
They need someone who can win on the outside, threaten defenses vertically, and force coverage to expand.
That’s where Thomas comes in.
He’s a natural fit with Daniels because the two were teammates at LSU, where they helped fuel one of the most explosive stretches of the Tigers’ 2023 offense. Thomas caught 68 passes for 1,177 yards and 17 touchdowns that season. He had the kind of downfield ability that can flip a game in one throw.
His NFL production has been more uneven lately. After posting 1,282 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns in 2024, Thomas finished 2025 with 707 yards and two touchdowns.
Through six games in 2026, he has nine catches for 105 yards and one score. Those numbers make him look like a possible buy-low target, even if the talent hasn’t gone anywhere.
Thomas still brings the traits Washington needs: long speed, strong ball tracking, and the ability to make plays at the catch point. Put him next to Diggs, and the Commanders could divide the receiving work more cleanly.
Diggs can handle the intermediate routes, Thomas can stretch the field, and Okonkwo can work underneath. That kind of balance would give offensive coordinator David Blough more options in how he lines up and designs the passing game.
A sensible starting point for negotiations, according to the source, would be a 2027 third-round pick and a conditional 2028 fifth-round pick. That kind of offer gives Jacksonville real draft value without Washington having to hand over a first-rounder.
Of course, there are reasons this wouldn’t be simple. Thomas is young, has upside, and Jacksonville has no obligation to move him cheaply.
Washington would also have to make sure the financial side fits its long-term plans. And even if the Commanders landed him, one receiver wouldn’t solve everything.
The offensive line still needs work, and the defense has its own issues.
But Thomas could give the offense something it badly lacks right now: a dependable vertical threat for the rest of the season. The bye week gives Peters a window to assess the roster and explore upgrades, and standing still would leave too much pressure on the current receivers to carry the load.
The call is there to be made. Peters should at least ask the price on Thomas and see whether a reunion with Daniels can be arranged.
In Other News...
Commanders Bye Week Puts One Offensive Line Decision In Focus
Washingtons bye week arrives with plenty left to sort through after a 1-4-1 start, and one of the biggest concerns sits right in front of the offense. Injuries to key players such as left tackle Laremy Tunsil and wide receiver Terry McLaurin have only made life harder, but the larger issue has been up front, where the Commanders have struggled to protect the quarterback and keep the offense on schedule.
Dan Quinn has made it clear he is unhappy with the recent play of the line, and the open week gives the staff a chance to reset and evaluate where adjustments are needed. Right guard Sam Cosmi has been one of the steadier pieces amid the turbulence, but the group as a whole still has not settled into the kind of rhythm Washington needs, leaving one important decision hanging over the rest of the week. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Suddenly Have A Public Split On Protecting Jayden Daniels
Dan Quinn made it clear after the latest game that he was unhappy with the way Washington protected Jayden Daniels, putting the offensive line on notice as the Commanders head into the bye week. The head coach signaled that changes could be coming, a reminder that how well Daniels is kept upright remains one of the biggest issues facing the offense.
Adam Peters, though, did not sound like a general manager preparing to make a move. While acknowledging the line needs to be better, Peters said there have not been talks about changing the group during the bye, creating an unusual public split at a spot the Commanders can least afford uncertainty. For a team trying to build around a young quarterback, the lack of alignment is the sort of detail that tends to linger until Washington shows how it plans to handle it. [Read more 🡒]
Commanders Could Send A Clear Deadline Message With Andrew Wylie
Adam Peters is already being framed as a GM who could turn practical if the Commanders dont respond after the bye, and that has put a few familiar names into the discussion. With Terry McLaurin out for the season, Washingtons offense has already taken a major hit, and versatile offensive lineman Andrew Wylie has emerged as the kind of player other teams could view as useful depth if the Commanders decide to listen on veterans.
ESPNs Bill Barnwell floated the Patriots as a possible fit, which at least gives the idea some external footing even if nothing is close to happening yet. For Washington, the question is less about whether Wylie has value than whether the next two games push Peters toward acting on it, because a deadline message would land differently if the Commanders start leaning into sell mode instead of simply monitoring the market. [Read more 🡒]