Before the start of the legal tampering period, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports said that he would be surprised if the Jacksonville Jaguars traded Brian Thomas Jr., But not long after, Connor Hughes of SNYtv said that they were having talks involving the third-year wideout with the New York Giants.
Things have once again taken a turn. According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Jags aren't trading Thomas after all.
Adam Schefter says the Jaguars aren't shopping Brian Thomas Jr.
On Day 2 of the legal tampering period, Adam Schefter posted on social media that the Jags weren't interested in moving on from Brian Thomas Jr. in spite of the noise on social media. Here's what he had to say.
"As for Brian Thomas. I've been told that the Jaguars are not interested in trading him," Schefter said. "They've denied it repeatedly. His name continues to come up in social media circles, floated out there, and again, for whatever reason, it doesn't go away, but every indication that I've gotten back is the Jaguars have no interest in moving on from Brian Thomas, despite all this that's out there."
Now, keep in mind that lack of interest doesn't mean the Jaguars won't trade Thomas. Just like when teams say they don't plan to make x move, it's easy to forget that plans can change at any time.
A first-round pick in 2024, Thomas took the league by storm as a rookie, reeling in 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns. However, he struggled with consistency and drops last year, which has led to speculation about his future in Duval.
Why the Jaguars could move Brian Thomas Jr.
Nobody will deny that Brian Thomas Jr. left much to be desired last season, but he's young and nobody will bat an eye if he goes back to being the game-altering talent he was as recently as 2025. Couple that with the fact that the Jaguars have him on an affordable contract — he has cap hits of $5 million or lower the next two years, and it's easy to see why they may want to hold onto him.
Having said that, teams know just how talented Thomas is. This is why they've continued to make inquiries about him, and there's a chance one will make an offer Jacksonville cannot refuse. Let's say someone offers a first-round pick, the proposal would at least deserve consideration.
After all, Thomas brings in deep-threat capabilities, but Jacksonville is stacked at receiver, with Jakobi Meyers, Parker Washington, and Travis Hunter in the fold. If the Jags can afford to trade one player, it's the 2024 first-round pick.
Heck, the Jags could be open to giving up Thomas in exchange for a second and a conditional third. They could then use those selections to address the larger scale roster. The interior defensive line and the pass rush, in particular, could use reinforcements. With whichever picks Jacksonville gets in return for Thomas, they could take care of either one (or both).
Based on how things unfold, speculation involving Brian Thomas Jr. won't stop anytime soon. Don't be shocked if he's moved, but there's an equal chance he'll stay put.