Brian Thomas Jr. went from bright spot to afterthought in a hurry, and that shift is what makes him such a fascinating name as the trade deadline chatter starts to build.
A year after bursting onto the scene with 87 catches, 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie - good enough for a Pro Bowl nod and a fourth-place finish in a loaded Offensive Rookie of the Year race - Thomas has become a far smaller piece of the Jacksonville offense. The Jaguars are 5-2 and rolling, but Thomas has only 10 receptions for 117 yards, both of which rank fifth on the team.
He has played 44% of the offensive snaps, third among Jacksonville wideouts, though that number has bounced around from week to week. In Week 6, he was on the field for just 21% of the snaps in a tight loss to the Texans.
A week later, he played 52% in a blowout win over the Colts and caught a touchdown, his first grab since Week 4.
Even with the reduced role, coach Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence have made it clear they still value him. Lawrence was especially upbeat after Sunday’s touchdown connection.
"I was super excited," Lawrence said of the touchdown pass Sunday. "It's a team game, and you want to see all your teammates have success, especially the situation with BT. I mean, the guy's so talented, he's a great player, and obviously hasn't been the easiest for him lately, but he's been working extremely hard to make plays."
Jacksonville has plenty of pass-catching options around him. Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, tight end Brenton Strange and running back Bhayshul Tuten all have more catches than Thomas. Still, Thomas brings a vertical element nobody else on the roster really matches, even if the production has been quiet.
So if the Jaguars were ever willing to move him - and that remains a major if - there would be no shortage of interest. Using the Marvin Harrison Jr. deal as a template, with the Texans sending 2027 second- and seventh-round picks to the Cardinals for Harrison and a 2027 sixth-round pick, a few possible landing spots stand out.
The Chiefs would make a lot of sense on paper. Kansas City has an extra third-round pick in 2027 from the Trent McDuffie trade, and the need for a true field-stretcher is obvious.
Patrick Mahomes has not completed a pass 20+ yards downfield in any of his last three games. In Sunday’s loss to the Broncos, the Chiefs’ leading receiver was running back Emmett Johnson, with Travis Kelce next.
Rashee Rice, their top wideout, does most of his damage after the catch in the quick game. The proposed return here would be Brian Thomas Jr. to Kansas City for a 2027 third-round pick and a 2028 sixth-round pick.
The problem, of course, is simple: why would Jacksonville help an AFC contender?
That same question hangs over a potential Steelers deal, though Pittsburgh’s injury situation could make the offer more appealing. The Jaguars recently lost Anton Harrison for the season, which leaves their tackle depth thin, and the Steelers could try to improve their package by including Cook, a backup tackle who lost his starting job to Max Iheanachor but has been a capable starter before.
The Raiders are a different case. They are 4-4, but they have dropped four of their last five and face a difficult stretch ahead.
They also have an obvious need at receiver, both now and for the future when No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza takes over for Kirk Cousins. Brock Bowers is already a star, but Las Vegas still needs another real weapon.
A straight-up swap would send Thomas to the Raiders for a 2027 third-round pick.
Washington also fits into the conversation, though the Commanders’ direction is still unsettled. They are 2-4-1, but the NFC East is weak enough that Week 9 could swing their thinking.
If they upset the Rams, they could lean toward buying. If they lose and the Giants and/or Cowboys win, selling becomes more realistic, even if Dan Quinn and Adam Peters may be reluctant to make moves that hurt their own job security.
Thomas’ LSU connection with Jayden Daniels gives the idea some extra appeal, and Washington has its own roster pressures: Terry McLaurin is out for the season, Stefon Diggs is on a one-year deal, and there is a potential out in McLaurin’s contract this offseason. The Commanders could also use help on the interior defensive line, which is where Tuttle could come into play after DaVon Hamilton’s injury.
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