Why Brian Thomas Jr. Will Remain a Jaguars Offseason Topic

The Jacksonville Jaguars have received trade calls for their young wideout. What would have to happen in order for them to trade away Brian Thomas Jr.?

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) walks off the field after losing to the Bills during 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. The Bills defeated the Jaguars 27-24. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] | Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars offseason hasn't been the greatest, and that's because of the limited cap space they had to make moves. Unfortunately, this means that they will have to take on a divisional leading schedule with a roster that is undoubtedly worse.

To top it all off, they don't own their first-round pick to acquire premium talent at a cheap price. This draft class will be a huge test for Liam Coen and James Gladstone as they try to gear up this roster for another shot at leading the AFC South. What does all of this mean for Brian Thomas Jr.?

A Trade Scenario

Mar 31, 2026; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen during the 2026 NFL Annual League Meeting at the Arizona Biltmore. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

I don't doubt Coen's ability to coach this team past their loss of talent, but it is important to acknowledge the fact that they may be worse next season. All of the teams in their division had better offseasons, and the draft has yet to start. Not having that first-round pick gives every team on their schedule next season a leg up on them.

I also don't think the Jaguars are looking to move off Thomas Jr. anytime soon. He may not have produced like the way they wanted in 2025, but it's still too early to give up on a player of his caliber after one down season. However, if he continues to decline in 2026 and their record is significantly worse by the trade deadline, a trade is definitely possible.

The Jets could still trade for a wide receiver with Brian Thomas Jr., Quintin Johnston, Rashod Bateman, and Dontayvion Wicks being possible targets, per Rich Cimini.

"Don't sleep on the possibility of Mougey trading for a veteran.” pic.twitter.com/VqBQCmjWrF

— Football Forever (@fballforeverhq) March 29, 2026

Teams like the New York Jets have reportedly made offers for him, and a risk the Jaguars take by not trading for him this offseason is that his trade value will go down even more than it already has. After his rookie season, there wouldn't be a doubt they'd get a first-round pick for him.

After his sophomore slump, a first-round pick is still on the table, but it's not guaranteed. The only reason they'd trade him away is if he continued to be a no-show for their offense, and if that's the case, I doubt any team would be willing to trade a first-rounder for him.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) runs on the field before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Titans 41-7, capturing the AFC South title. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] | Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There is certainly interest, and a team can convince themselves that they could be the change of scenery he needs. And yet, even then, I don't see his trade value exceeding a day two pick if his production continues to plummet. I have faith that he'll be able to bounce back and cement himself as their star wide receiver, but it's definitely something for them to monitor.