Even with the November 10 trade deadline inching closer, it doesn't look like the Jacksonville Jaguars have changed their stance on Brian Thomas Jr. Dating back to the offseason, they've stated multiple times that they're not interested in moving him, and that seemingly remains true based on the fact that the Kansas City Chiefs were zeroing in on the former 2024 first-round pick, but the Jags weren't open to selling on him.
This is a bit of a surprise when you take into account that Thomas no longer has a defined role on offense, playing just 19 offensive snaps and getting zero targets in the win over the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night. Then again, it's possible that Jacksonville's trust in him hasn't fully wavered.
While it's uncertain whether the Jaguars may still think Thomas could bounce back, an NFL insider thinks they may have another valid reason not to move on from him.
The Jaguars may not want to trade Brian Thomas Jr. to avoid disrupting the team's chemistry
Cameron Wolfe of NFL Media posted on Twitter that the Jags may want to hold onto Brian Thomas Jr. to avoid disrupting the team's chemistry, adding that Thomas is close friends with Travis Hunter and is still liked in the locker room.
This doesn't mean that a trade won't happen, but rather that Jacksonville is taking the potential downsides into account, with chemistry high on the list.
Since becoming the general manager in 2025, James Glasdstone has talked about the importance of being in the team-building business rather than player acquisition. Having said that, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN thinks that the Jags could include Thomas in a package to trade for much-needed help at defensive tackle.
Brian Thomas is another line in the water that teams have in Jacksonville," Fowler said on The Rick Eisen Show. "Jacksonville has said they don't want to trade them; that they'd rather add than subtract because they're looking for like a big-ticket defensive lineman."
Fowler continued, "So Jacksonville's a pivot point in a lot of ways. Do they move on from Thomas, who played like 19 snaps last night, no catches, four weeks in a row, no catches? I think he wants out at this point. So do they package Thomas in a deal to get a D tackle?"
This is a conjecture, but it's possible that the Jaguars are just holding onto Thomas to drive up his price. But if nobody makes an appealing enough bid, they may just want to hold onto him.
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Why the Jaguars may legitimately want to keep Brian Thomas Jr.
The trade speculation will continue until the trade deadline. Then, we'll find out what Brian Thomas Jr.'s fate is. That said, there's a reason to think their efforts to keep Brian Thomas Jr. are legit. The organization is high on chemistry, and moving on from Thomas may rub his teammates the wrong way.
Think about it: A draft pick wouldn't help the Jags right now, and trading Thomas could demoralize the locker room since he's well-liked. Simply put, the potential drawbacks would outweigh the positives.
On the other hand, if Jacksonville includes the third-year receiver as part of a package to take a swing for a defensive tackle, players need to understand that this is a business, and if you don't deliver, you'll be shown the door.
Brian Thomas Jr. hasn't delivered dating back to last year, so you could make the case that he himself is the reason he's at the center of trade chatter to begin with.
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