Grading New Brian Thomas Trade Proposal for Jaguars

General Manager James Gladstone and the Jacksonville Jaguars will have to get creative this offseason. The good news is that this team went 13-4 in the 2025 NFL season, won the AFC South, and made its way back to the playoffs. The bad news is that they'll have their work cut out for them to try to get over the hump after getting ousted in the first round by the Buffalo Bills.

The Jaguars don't have a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and they're currently slated to be over the salary cap for next season. Some sly financial maneuvering from Gladstone should have their books in order by kickoff, but Jacksonville shouldn't expect to be a major player in free agency this year. As such, exploring the trade market might be the best way for them to meaningfully improve their roster.

Jacksonville Jaguars, NFL, Buffalo Bills, Keon Coleman — Jacksonville Jaguars cornerback Jarrian Jones (22) denies a touchdown by Buffalo Bills wide receiver Keon Coleman (0) during the second quarter in an NFL football AFC Wild Card playoff matchup, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. Bills lead 10-7 at the half over the Jaguars. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Is this the right framework for a BTJ trade?

The Jacksonville Jaguars recently made headlines that sent shockwaves throughout the NFL in the early offseason. It was reported that Travis Hunter Jr., their second-overall pick who suffered a season-ending injury in Week 8, will primarily play cornerback next year and only suit up situationally on the other side of the ball.

There was speculation that the Jaguars might trade Brian Thomas Jr. this offseason after he struggled to find his niche in Liam Coen's offense in their first year together. However, with Hunter Jr. now focusing his efforts on defense, it wouldn't make much sense for Jacksonville to give up on their other blue-chip wideout just two seasons into his career, especially considering his phenomenal rookie campaign.

ESPN's Bill Barnwell outlined a deal that he thought would make sense for the Jaguars, though, proposing that they trade BTJ and a fifth-round pick in the upcoming draft to the Buffalo Bills in exchange for Keon Coleman and their 26th-overall selection:

.@billbarnwell proposes a WR swap between Buffalo & Jacksonville.

Bills receive: Brian Thomas Jr. + 2026 5th round pick

Jaguars receive: Keon Coleman + 2026 1st round pick

Thoughts? 💬🤔 pic.twitter.com/3c4osxW7cC
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) February 16, 2026

"After a massive rookie campaign, Thomas didn't have a single 100-yard game in Year 2 and topped 70 receiving yards three times... Bottom line: The production wasn't there, and things didn't get better as the season went along... The Jags could use that first-round pick — No. 26 after this deal — to add cost-controlled talent or go after young talent via trades. They would be taking a flier on Coleman, who is owed only $3.8 million combined over the next two seasons. That's not a big cost savings over Thomas, but when you factor in the first-round pick, the Jags would be upgrading another position while slotting Coleman in as their WR4."

While getting another wideout back would make a BTJ trade more palatable after the Hunter Jr. news drop, all of the struggles that Thomas Jr. had for the Jaguars this year, Coleman also had for the Bills, to an ever greater degree, paired with maturity issues.

Overall, though, getting a late first isn't terrible business for Jacksonville, and sending out a fifth to take a flier on Coleman isn't the worst move in a vacuum. But if Hunter Jr. can't play a WR3's diet of snaps on offense, having to rely on Coleman to be a reliable contributor could spell doom for the Jags.

Grade: B-

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