During his latest exchange with the local media, general manager James Gladstone did a good job of shutting down the notion that the Jacksonville Jaguars will trade Brian Thomas Jr., going as far as calling the suggestion fraudulent. That said, that won't stop other teams from making inquiries involving the third-year receiver throughout the offseason.
From a Jags perspective, it makes sense to hold onto Thomas. He's coming off a down season but took the league by storm in 2024, registering 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns as a rookie. With another offseason in head coach Liam Coen's system, there's a realistic chance he could bounce back. Couple that with the fact that he has low cap hits the next two years because he's still on his rookie deal, and Jacksonville is better off with him.
On the other hand, the Jags may be open to trading Brian Thomas Jr. if another team makes an offer they cannot refuse. That's precisely what the Cleveland Browns do in Bleacher Report's latest pitch.
B/R suggests the Jaguars trade Brian Thomas Jr. in return for a 1st-round pick
Moe Moton of Bleacher Report put together a list of trades that could still happen after the first wave of free agency and had the Jaguars sending Brian Thomas Jr. to the Cleveland Browns in return for one of their two first-round picks, noting that they're in desperate need of help at receiver. Here's the skinny.
"The Brown desperately need help at wide receiver, with Jerry Jeaudy leading the group," Moton wrote. "So, they may present a strong offer to acquire Thomas if he's available. Remember, Cleveland has two 2026-first-round picks because of its deal with Jacksonville last year. The Browns can offer one of two first-rounders for Thomas to upgrade their below-average receiver corps."
For context, the Jags gave Cleveland their 2026 first-round pick, along with the fifth overall last year, to move up three spots to select two-way star Travis Hunter at No. 2.
The 2026 pick Jacksonville gave to the Browns ended up becoming the 26th overall. They also have the fifth overall this year, but it's hard to see them parting ways with it, so the Jags would most likely get the lower of the two.
Before Gladstone shut down the Thomas draft chatter, Connor Hughes of SNYtv reported that the Jaguars were having talks with the New York Giants. Based on the general manager's comments, though, it looks like those conversations never occurred. Nevertheless, don't expect the speculation to wind down any time soon.
What could the Jaguars do with a first-round pick after trading Brian Thomas Jr.?
The Jaguars have several glaring needs on defense. Having a first-round pick would give them ample flexibility to address them all. Specifically, they need to make upgrades at cornerback, the pass rush, and defensive tackle.
Currently, they're expected to go to cornerback or defensive tackle in Round 2, but if they had the 26th overall selection, they could also bolster their linebacker corps, which could use a boost after Devin Lloyd's departure. Then, the front office could add depth to the offensive line, wide receiver, or safety in Round 3.
Of course, the downside would be that the Jaguars would lose Brian Thomas Jr., but they would be able to address the larger-scale roster. That's most definitely something worth considering.