The Jacksonville Jaguars could use help at wide receiver at the NFL trade deadline. But in the same breath, a bombshell report suggests that they're actively listening to offers for Brian Thomas Jr. This may look odd at first, but it truly isn't.
Outside of rookie Travis Hunter, the Jags don't truly have a game-changer at receiver. Thomas, in particular, has struggled with drops after taking the league by storm as a rookie. Similarly, Dyami Brown has cooled down after a strong start to the 2024 season.
This begs the question, why not swap receivers with the Las Vegas Raiders and bring in one who flourished under position coach Edgar Bennett?
Why the Raiders would be interested in Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr.
Levi Dombro of Just Blog Baby recently wrote that the Raiders cannot pass on the chance to acquire Brian Thomas Jr. at the trade deadline, noting that the sophomore receiver could transform their offense for years to come.
In his breakdown, Dombro proposes a trio of intriguing possibilities. The first one includes tight end Michael Meyer. That would be an interesting scenario when you take into account that the Jaguars need reinforcements at the position while Brenton Strange recovers from a quad injury. Michael Koonce is another option.
In her original scoop, Dianna Russini of The Athletic noted that not only was Jacksonville entertaining offers for Thomas, but also that defensive help was needed. That's where Koonce would come in.
Koonce is coming off an ACL injury that forced him to miss last season but has shown pass-rushing capability in 2023, registering eight sacks. The Jags most definitely need to bolster their pass rush rotation behind Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker. In a different article, Dombro argues that the 2021 third-round pick would garner interest at the deadline.
The last pitch may be the most interesting of the three, though.
The Jaguars swap Brian Thomas Jr. for Jakobi Meyers
As noted before, the Jaguars could use help at receiver because Brian Thomas Jr. was underwhelming, so why not address to issues at once? Shipping the second-year receiver to the Raiders in return for Jakobi Meyers would just accomplish that.
Meyers was an undrafted free agent who signed with the New England Patriots in 2019. After four productive seasons in Foxborough, he signed a three-year deal with Las Vegas. His contract runs through 2025, and the veteran wideout has made it clear that he wants to get a new deal. It doesn't look like the Silver & Black is willing to grant his request, so if Meyer isn't part of their long-term plans, trading him now would make sense.
The former North Carolina State Wolfpack has made 37 starts and registered 187 receptions for 2,163 yards with 12 touchdowns in three seasons with the Raiders. Moreover, his drop rate is one of the best in the league. Couple that with the fact that Meyers had his best year under Jaguars wide receivers coach Edgar Bennett, and Jacksonville would be a realistic trade destination.
So what exactly would get a deal done? The Raiders would surely want to swap Meyers for Brian Thomas Jr., but when you take his production last year — he logged 82 catches for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns — and the fact that his still on his rookie deal, they might also need to fork out a third-round pick. Basically, here's how a deal would look:
• The Jaguars get:
- Jakobi Meyers (and his contract)
- a third-round pick
• The Raiders get:
- Brian Thomas Jr.
If the Jags don't think Brian Thomas Jr. can fix his drop issues, trading him while his stock is high makes sense.
Now, just because the Jaguars are listening to offers doesn't mean they'll trade Brian Thomas Jr. However, the prospect of cutting ties with him and finding a sure-handed replacement in Jakobi Meyers shouldn't be ruled out.