Ascension of rookie stalwart makes Jaguars unlikely trade partner for Brandon Aiyuk

Surprisingly, the Brandon Aiyuk saga has dragged on several months longer than it should have. The San Francisco 49ers should've either paid him or traded him a while back but they have done neither. They still seemingly hope to reach a deal with him but he's made it clear he wants to leave. That has led Brad Gagnon of Bleacher Report to believe that the Jacksonville Jaguars could be a legitimate landing spot for him. The issue is that he's not taking the emergence of a young player into account.

Gagnon drew up a list of potential trade destinations for Aiyuk just weeks before the start of the regular season and included Jacksonville, pointing out that the departure of Calvin Ridley paves the way for them to acquire the star wide receiver.

"There's a damn good chance Trevor Lawrence breaks out under the tutelage of Doug Pederson in his age-25 season. And with Calvin Ridley off the Jaguars roster, there's a potential opening for an established wideout like Aiyuk to bully out the unproven Brian Thomas Jr. and the less talented Gabe Davis to become the 2021 No. 1 overall pick's top weapon."

Gagnon goes on to say that the Jags must take advantage of Trevor Lawrence's prime and have enough cap space to make a trade happen.

Aiyuk, the 20th overall pick in 2020, is coming off back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons. He led San Francisco in receiving yards and receptions last year despite the fact that their offense is full of playmakers such as tight end George Kittle, wide receiver Deebo Samuel, and running back Christian McCaffrey.

The former Arizona State standout is set to make $14.1 million in 2024 and is looking for a pay bump. The Niners have refused to give it to him, which is why he's been wanting out of the Bay Area for months now.

The Cleveland Browns and the New England Patriots were reportedly willing to give up a first-round and players in exchange for Aiyuk, but he wants to play for either the Washington Commanders or the Pittsburgh Steelers. His preferred landing spots are one of the reasons the 49ers haven't been able to trade him.

Brian Thomas Jr. makes trading Brandon Aiyuk unnecessary for the Jaguars

Trading for Brandon Aiyuk would've been a feasible idea back in March, when the Jacksonville Jaguars let Calvin Ridley leave in free agency. It would've been costly. They would've had to sign him a top-market extension and give the San Francisco 49ers a first-round and a player, but it would've been worth it.

Aiyuk would've given the Jags a bonafide WR1 and they could've used their first-round pick on another position group. But that's where the issue lies. The front office drafted Brian Thomas Jr. 23rd overall, and he's turned out to be a revelation.

Thomas was a game-changer in his last season at LSU, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,177 yards with 17 touchdowns. He then ran the 40-yard dash at the NFL Scouting Combine in 4.33 seconds, validating his top-notch speed. While not as highly regarded as former teammate Malik Nabers, the Louisiana native still had a first-round projection.

In Jacksonville, Thomas is quickly developing into a WR1. While he had a rough start to training camp, he's gotten progressively better, showcasing his capability to stretch the field. More and more often, the rookie wideout has begun to make plays.

First in practice, then in the preseason opener against the Kansas City Chiefs, and more recently against the Tampa Buccaneers ahead of their matchup.

Even though Thomas has yet to play a snap in regular season, he's done enough to make you think that the Jaguars hit it out of the ballpark when they drafted him. When you factor in that sophomore Parker Washington has improved, Christian Kirk has been his usual self (calf injury notwithstanding), and free-agent acquisition Gabe Davis has shined in training camp, Trevor Lawrence's arsenal of weapons looks in great shape ahead of the offseason.

The bottom line is that Brandon Aiyuk is a great receiver and it would've made sense for the Jags to trade for him earlier in the offseason. Right now? Not so much, thanks to the emergence of Brian Thomas Jr.

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