The Jacksonville Jaguars took care of business on Thursday Night, easily trouncing the Baltimore Ravens 33-10. Now, they'll get to enjoy a long weekend. That said, the front office could be working overtime ahead of the November 10 deadline.
Not only will the Jags make an aggressive effort to bolster their interior defensive line after losing defensive tackle DaVon Hamilton for the year, but general manager James Gladstone could also trade Brian Thomas Jr.
Regardless of what Jacksonville does, the deadline will bring clarity to Thomas' future in Duval.
The Jaguars plan to keep Brian Thomas Jr. but could ultimately trade him
Dating back to last year, Brian Thomas Jr. has been the subject of trade rumors. While the Jaguars have consistently stated that they're not interested in moving him, several NFL clubs believe that the 2024 first-round pick could be available. This makes sense when you take into account that he no longer appears to have a role on the Jacksonville offense.
Although Thomas had a 12-yard touchdown reception against the Indianapolis Colts, he wasn't targeted a single time and only logged 19 offensive snaps in the win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night.
When you factor in that Josh Camaron got ahead of him on the depth chart, and Travis Hunter has had a bigger role in recent weeks, it's easy to see Jacksonville at last cutting ties with Thomas. For his part, insider James Palmer of Prime Video said he doesn't think the former LSU Tiger will be changing teams at the deadline.
"I'm expecting teams to call James Gladstone their general manager now if this game is in the books," Palmer said after the Thursday Night game. "But I don't believe their stance has changed. They're not in the business as a Super Bowl contender, Carlos, to give away valuable pieces like Brian Thomas Jr. Even if their role has changed, it still seems more likely that they hang on to him as opposed to sending him elsewhere."
Deadlines spur action, so we'll soon find out whether the Jaguars do keep Thomas, but nobody will bat an eye if they end up changing their stance based on how things are unfolding.
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The Jaguars need to trade Brian Thomas Jr. even if they don't get premium compensation
The Jaguars have stood behind Brian Thomas Jr. throughout his struggles, but he's yet to repay their trust. Maybe they're willing to stick with him because of the game-changing skills he showed as a rookies when he had 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns as a rookie. However, the Walker, Louisiana native has been a non-factor this season. If Jacksonville doesn't plan to keep him around, many NFL teams would trade for him in a heartbeat.
And that's the thing, you could make the case that the Jags should keep him as insurance in case they suffer injuries at receiver, but Thomas doesn't precisely inspire confidence, as he's dealt with drops and inconsistency when he's been given opportunities.
At this point, a fresh start may be the best course of action for Thomas. Sure, he could enjoy a career revival with another club, and that could bring scrutiny to a potential trade. On the other hand, Jacksonville is well-equipped to withstand his departure due to the emergence of Josh Cameron and Travis Hunter's two-way skills.
In the end, though, nobody outside of the Jaguars' HQ knows what they'll do, but his future will become clear with the deadline inching closer.
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