Browns Trading for This Wideout Would Be an Unmitigated Disaster on Multiple Levels

Over the course of the offseason, one common trade target mentioned in connection with the Cleveland Browns was current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Fast forward to Week 5 of the NFL regular season, and that move makes zero sense for the Browns, for a number of reasons.

Here are the three main ones:

Brian Thomas Jr. might not be worth the trouble

There’s no question Thomas is a talented wideout. His rookie season back in 2024 was actually pretty phenomenal, catching 87 balls for 1,282 yards and 10 scores, leading to a Pro Bowl nod and a fourth place in voting for the AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Award.

Then, something changed. Thomas just stopped being a critical part of the Jags offense, once Liam Coen was promoted from offensive coordinator to head coach last year. His numbers took a nosedive, with only 48 catches for 707 yards and two scores all last year, while former sixth rounder Parker Washington’s role grew exponentially.

This year, Thomas hasn’t found a way to reinsert himself back into prominence, and is currently not only standing behind Washington and Jakobi Meyers in receptions, receiving yards and receiving touchdowns, but also has one less score than rookie sixth rounder Josh Cameron, who the team seems to really like. And that’s not even mentioning that tight end Brenton Strange has been more involved in the offense, as well.

Thomas’ snap count is also falling at an alarming rate. After starting out at an 80 percent of offensive plays as a rookie and 78 percent in his sophomore season, it currently stands at just 47 percent.

Drops have become a big issue for Thomas, and that’s something the Browns really don’t need, especially after Jerry Jeudy’s deeply disappointing 2025 season.

The Browns really don’t need him anymore

Second-rounder Denzel Boston is arguably the leading candidate for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors so far this season, and first-rounder KC Concepcion has been almost as good. Together, they’ve reenergized the Browns’ receiving to the point where Jeudy has become somewhat of an afterthought, sparking debate on whether he should actually be traded, too.

Cleveland looks set up nicely for the future with the trio of Boston, Concepcion and tight end Harold Fannin Jr., along with the expected development of Isaiah Bond. For a team that just a mere six months ago had no clue on who could be their WR1, they came away from the 2026 NFL Draft with two solid candidates.

There might be better trade target at wideout

Another prominent name from the 2024 NFL Draft, Marvin Harrison Jr., is currently being shopped around in Arizona according to multiple reports. Even if Harrison’s numbers as a pro are even more underwhelming than Thomas, there might be some logic in trading for him, as his ceiling is still considered much higher.

While Harrison has been generally viewed as a wideout capable of doing it all with a pretty complete array of tools, Thomas is now more or less considered just a deep threat receiver, who’s best trait is creating some space underneath for others to exploit.

However, don’t expect Cleveland to make some noise in the Harrison front, no matter how attractive it might be. For the right price, swapping Harrison for Jeudy on the Browns’ current roster looks enticing. In real life, Cleveland might be better served not getting into a bidding war with other clubs for Harrison’s services, no matter how much untapped potential there still might be lying around in there, somewhere.

The Browns have a good thing going on with their current core of young talent from the last two drafts, and giving up too much capital for Harrison or Thomas when you’re expected to need it down the road for a new quarterback doesn’t make sense.

If the Browns are going to be players before the trade deadline, they should be targeting the offensive backfield, defensive line or defensive backfield. Wide receiver is just not a position of need for this team anymore.

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