Patriots Considered Potential Trade Partner For Jaguars Star WR

Might the New England Patriots be positioning themselves for a major splash heading into the 2026 NFL season?

With trade buzz continuing to heat up throughout the nation, the collective eyes of Patriots Nation continue to be fixed on Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro receiver A.J. Brown and the City of Brotherly Love. Yet, a pair of NFL insiders believe that some of that attention may be better directed toward Florida’s state capital.

National NFL reporter Dan Graziano and NFL analyst Ben Solak recently provided ESPN with a list of their “15 best players” who could be traded this month. While Brown made the cut at No. 5, Jacksonville Jaguars star wideout Brian Thomas, Jr. earned the top spot on the list — with the Patriots among the teams with a 20% chance of securing his services via trade this offseason.

"There has been no indication that trading Thomas is something the Jaguars are planning,” Graziano wrote. “But, there are teams monitoring the situation in case the hyper-talented LSU product has fallen far enough down the Jacksonville depth chart that the front office would consider a move."

Why New England Would Be a Good Fit for Brian Thomas, Jr.

Oct 20, 2024; London, United Kingdom; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) catches a 58-yard pass against New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) in the first half of an NFL International Series game at Wembley Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Thomas’ being of interest to several teams throughout the NFL should come as no surprise. Jacksonville’s 2024 first-round (23 overall) selection had a stellar rookie season, finishing third in the NFL with 1,282 yards and tied for sixth with 10 touchdowns. His on-field skills, along with his growing chemistry with Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, had the Duval faithful clamoring for an even greater encore as the 2025 season approached.

However, Thomas’ second season was largely devoid of smooth sailing. The 23-year-old was credited with a league-leading 10 drops on 91 targets this season. His 47.3% success rate and 52.7% catch rate were significant declines from his 2024 totals. As a result, Thomas saw a notable portion of his usual targets go to receivers Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, Dyami Brown and the second-overall pick in last year’s draft, Travis Hunter.

While some may believe that Thomas’ slow start may encourage the Jaguars to sell at a lower price — especially considering their need for draft capital, after surrendering a 2026 first-round pick to the Cleveland Brown as part of the package to move up to select Hunter — it is important to remember that the Jags still hold the majority of the leverage in any negotiations.

At just 23, Thomas has his entire career ahead of him. Given his high level of production as a rookie, there is no reason to believe that his pseudo-slump through only seven games this season is a harbinger of things to come for his pro career.

From a contractual standpoint, Thomas still has two years (at a total of $4.9 million) plus a fifth-year rookie option remaining on his deal. The Jaguars, per OverTheCap.com, would save a mere $2.79 million against the cap if traded after Jun. 1 — a relatively small price to recoup for a potentially much more lucrative future.

Financially, New England could be well-positioned to accommodate Thomas’ needs in both the short and long term. Patriots salary cap expert Miguel Benzan projects New England’s 2026 salary cap space number after accounting for the release of the official 2026 League Cap number ($301.2 million) is $41,293,841.

Although it may be early to project the particulars of such a deal, Jacksonville is almost certain to request high-level draft capital, as well as bona fide veteran talent as the key pieces in any deal for Thomas’ services. For New England, the prospect of pairing the young receiver with an All-Pro talent such as Stefon Diggs as targets for quarterback Drake Maye must be worth the Jags’ asking price.

While Maye has already accomplished much with a hard-working, productive supporting cast of pass catchers — consisting of Diggs, Kayshon Boutte, DeMario Douglas and Mack Hollins — pairing him with Thomas could give the duo a chance to become one of the NFL’s most lethal scoring tandems. Should Jacksonville be open to a package deemed palatable to the Patriots, it would be smart for both sides to engage each other in a business sense.

With the league’s free agency tampering period set to begin on March 9, the answer to many of the Pats’ personnel questions will be provided in short order.

Make sure you bookmark New England Patriots on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns, and so much more!