Jaguars send Brian Thomas Jr. to Chiefs in trade pitch that screams larceny

You have to give credit to the Jacksonville Jaguars for not giving up on Brian Thomas Jr. in spite of his struggles. However, there's a point in which they can no longer justify their trust in him, and his underwhelming performance in the Week 6 loss to the Houston Texans may have been the straw that broke the camel's back.

Thomas had two costly drops in the 34-31 loss to the Houston Texans. One could've moved the chains in the first quarter. And the other could have put Cam Little in field goal range just before halftime to tie the game. However, the 2024 first-round pick failed to come through both times. Sure, he wasn't the sole reason the Jags lost; they had plenty of issues, but he didn't help either.

Following the game, Coen said that Thomas needs to step up when asked if he still had trust in him. He limited himself to saying that the third-year wideout needs to step up. That's far from a ringing endorsement. Heck, at this point, trading him may be the best course of action. If that's the path the organization takes, an NFL writer came up with a pitch to the Kansas City Chiefs that would be akin to committing a bank robbery.

The Jaguars get a 1st-round pick for Brian Thomas Jr. in a trade pitch to the Chiefs

Zachary Rotman of FanSided came up with potential trade packages for Brian Thomas Jr. after the loss to Houston. He suggested the Jaguars send him and a 2027 fourth-round selection to Kansas City in return for a 2027 first-round selection.

A first-round selection may seem like a lot, but Rotman argues that the Texans just gave up a second-round pick for Marvin Harrison Jr., and Thomas has the better NFL production of the two. Here's the skinny.

"Chiefs fans are likely going to call me crazy, but hear me out," Rotman wrote. "Marvin Harrison Jr., whose track record is not as strong as Thomas', was just traded for a second-round pick from a Texans team that was 0-4 at the time."

Rotman continued, "How different is a first-rounder from a 4-0 team compared to a second-rounder from a 0-4 team, and wouldn't it make sense for the receiver who has done more in the NFL to cost a bit more? Plus, how willing would the Jaguars be to trade Thomas to a fellow AFC competitor without getting truly eye-popping in return?"

This isn't the first time the Chiefs have come up as a landing spot for Thomas. The issue is that — as Rotman noted — the Jags may not be overly enthused to send him to an AFC team they could face down the road. The Los Angeles Rams, the Washington Commanders, and the San Francisco 49ers are also in need of receiver help but are in the NFC, so the Jags wouldn't have to worry about having to see him the remainder of the year... unless both clubs reached the Super Bowl.

For that reason, if a team in the AFC sets its sights on Thomas, they may have to fork out a bit more. A first-round pick would most definitely be too tempting not to give it a thought.

It's also worth noting that if several clubs show interest in Thomas, that could drive up Jacksonville's asking price.

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Grade the trade: the Jaguars send Brian Thomas Jr. to the Chiefs for a 1st-round pick

James Gladstone stated early in 2026 that any claims that the Jags could trade Brian Thomas Jr. were fraudulent. More recently, Tom Pelissero of Netflix reported that they still weren't interested in moving him. But based on how things have played out, maybe they should reconsider their stance.

Thomas has seen his role decrease as the season progressed, registering three receptions for 25 yards on eight targets the past four games. Similarly, his playing time has suffered a steep drop-off. At this point, it's hard to see the former LSU Tiger working his way back into the depth chart, so a change of scenery somewhere would make sense, especially if Jacksonville can get a first-round pick for him.

The Chiefs would offer Thomas the fresh start he desperately needs. On the other hand, he would give them much-needed help at receiver and the perfect reclamation project for Andy Reid, one of the most renowned offensive minds in the NFL.

Simply put, this is a trade that would benefit both the Jaguars and the Chiefs, while Brian Thomas Jr. would get the perfect opportunity to get his NFL career back on track.

Grade: A- (only because the Jags would trade BTJ to the AFC

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