Trade speculation surrounding Brian Thomas Jr. is getting louder with the November 10 deadline looming. While the Jacksonville Jaguars have stated that they won't deal the 2024 first-round pick, it's hard to see him have a role after his benching in the loss to the Houston Texans. When you factor in that several teams could make a push for him, the Jags may at last be willing to change their stance.
The Kansas Chiefs are among the teams that have been linked to Thomas. Even though they're in the same conference as Jacksonville, general manager James Gladstone may not mind trading him there if the offer is too good to pass up.
But what if Kansas City offered a swap, as an NFL writer suggests? Would it still make sense for the Jaguars to send Thomas to the Chiefs?
The Jaguars are pitched to send Brian Thomas Jr. to the Chiefs for Xavier Worthy
Steve Ruiz of Fox Sports came up with a list of five trade proposals ahead of the deadline. He suggested the Jaguars send Brian Thomas Jr. to Kansas City in return for Xavier Worthy, noting that both receivers could benefit from a change of scenery.
"Both the Chiefs and the Jaguars are reportedly interested in adding a receiver at the deadline, and both want one who can help in the deep passing game," Ruiz wrote. "The Chiefs, who have spent the last few years chasing the ghost of Tyreek Hill by bringing in a bunch of undersized speedsters, could use a bigger receiver who can win 50/50 balls downfield. Thomas can do that in theory, but we haven't really seen it in practice since his rookie season."
Ruiz then argues that Worthy could stretch the field for the Jags, which would, in turn, open things up on offense.
"The Jaguars, meanwhile, need more speed on the field. Parker Washington and Jakobi Myers give Trevor Lawrence two reliable possession options, but there's nothing stopping defenses from sitting on their routes underneath - not with Thomas on the sidelines, at least," Ruiz said.
For the sake of transparency, though, there are no credible reports that the Jags are looking for receiver help, beyond social media chatter.
Like Thomas, Worthy was a first-round selection in 2024. However, he hasn't been nearly as successful as his Jacksonville counterpart, reeling in 125 catches for 1,387 yards with eight touchdowns.
Granted, Thomas has been underwhelming the past two seasons but showed big-time upside as a rookie, catching 82 passes for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns. That's nearly as many yards as Worthy's career totals.
But leaving aside that Worthy has been underwhelming, there's another (more obvious) reason the Jags wouldn't trade Thomas for him.
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Why the Jaguars wouldn't trade Brian Thomas Jr. for Xavier Worthy
The issue with the pitch is that the Chiefs could most definitely use a boost at receiver. Thomas could give a much-needed spark to their passing game and potentially enjoy a career revival. However, Xavier Worthy would be an unnecessary luxury for Jacksonville.
If the Jaguars trade Thomas, it's because they can afford to do so. His departure would allow two-way star Travis Hunter and rookie Josh Cameron to get more playing time. Both of them have proven that they deserve more playing time after the bye. On top of that, Parker Washington isn't a burner but has shown that he can get deep. When you factor in that Jakobi Meyers is in the mix, Jacksonville wouldn't have use for Worthy.
If the Jaguars wanted to make a swap, they would probably aim for a defensive tackle, not a receiver. Sure, Worthy could also get a fresh start in Duval, but they aren't in desperate need of receiver help like Kansas City is.
Simply put, this swap would benefit Kansas City but wouldn't help the Jaguars much. If the Chiefs are serious about getting Brian Thomas Jr., they're better off making an offer that Jacksonville won't refuse.
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