It hasn't even been one day since the Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs, but NFL analysts have already begun the offseason chatter. Then again, this isn't particularly surprising. After all, the Jags cannot dwell too much on the outcome of the game, regardless of how much it may sting. Instead, they must start the preparations to ensure they return to the offseason in 2026.
Despite raising the roster's floor last year, the team's brass will have to make several moves in the offseason to remain competitive. Working against the Jags is that they are nearly $8.0 million over the cap, so they may have trouble re-signing several pending free agents.
To make up for the departures, Jacksonville will probably need to turn to the draft, and an NFL expert just predicted that general manager James Gladstone will make a major trade to acquire extra assets.
Benjamin Solak predicts the Jaguars will trade Brian Thomas Jr. in the offseason
Benjamin Solak of ESPN made an offseason prediction for every NFL team and believes the Jags could trade Brian Thomas Jr., noting he left much to be desired in his sophomore campaign.
"The Jaguars will field trade offers on wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who disappointed in his sophomore season," Solak noted. "With the emergence of Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers getting an extension, the WR room is getting crowded in Jacksonville. I don't think he will get traded, but if I were a GM, I'd be definitely calling."
Thomas took the league by storm as a rookie, hauling in 82 receptions for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns. He was expected to take the next step in 2025 but instead struggled with drops and failed to make the kind of impact he had had the year prior.
To make matters worse, Thomas dealt with an ankle injury that forced him to miss three games. Although he played much better after his return, he was able to regain his rookie shape. The former LSU Tiger finished his second NFL season with 48 catches for 707 yards with two touchdowns. All things considered, not bad numbers, but there was definitely a dropoff in production.
It's also worth noting that Thomas was the subject of trade chatter ahead of the deadline before Liam Coen shut down the speculation.
Why the Jaguars could trade Brian Thomas Jr.
Even though Brian Thomas Jr. is coming off a somewhat down season, he's proven that he can be a vertical threat. Knowing that, nobody would bat an eye if the Jaguars were offered a second or even a first-round selection. But leaving aside that they would be getting ammo to replenish the roster, moving the Walker, Louisiana native may be the best course of action when you take into account that there may not be room for him in the Jacksonville wide receivers corps.
After all, the Jags just gave Jakobi Meyers a three-year deal worth $60 million after trading for him midseason. Parker Washington had a breakout campaign, and two-way star Travis Hunter will return after undergoing season-ending surgery. When you add it all up, Jacksonville may be better off shipping Thomas and addressing other positions with the picks they get.
Of course, it would also make sense to keep Thomas, as you can never have too many good players. Maybe with more time, he can bounce back and once again become a deep threat.
Ultimately, this is going to be a challenging offseason, and James Gladstone has shown that he's not afraid to cut ties with players who don't fit the team's vision. That's why trading Brian Thomas Jr. shouldn't be ruled out just yet.