Sipu Jha
Brian Thomas Jr. signed a four-year, $14.6 million contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2024. He was drafted as their first-round, 23rd overall pick. Over two seasons, he amassed 135 receptions on 224 targets for 1,989 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. He also recorded nine carries for 69 rushing yards and one touchdown. He played for two seasons, but his Year 2 stats seem questionable for some. Worth intense scrutiny.An NFL executive told The Athletic that the wideout’s stats dipped in 2025. Holding onto him seems smart at the moment. And he’s too young to be given up so soon. But the executive sees him being traded on draft day, especially if everyone’s favorite WRs are picked. This has led some analysts to predict he could be useful elsewhere. And for that matter, Bleacher Report’s Gary Davenport has suggested a trade package that involves Aaron Glenn’s New York Jets.
NFL Trade Rumors : Aaron Glenn’s Jets predicted for Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr
Jacksonville lost two of its best players this offseason: running back Travis Etienne Jr. to the New Orleans Saints and linebacker Devin Lloyd to the Carolina Panthers. But they gained: future compensatory picks.An NFL executive told The Athletic that Jacksonville is trying to acquire compensatory picks to land a couple of third-rounders next season. The question remains: “Do they know what to do with them?” Then the executive said that the receiver they traded two No. 1s to get Travis Hunter did “nothing.”Hunter may focus more on being a cornerback than a wide receiver in the 2026 season. The Jaguars have 11 draft picks. But would they secure more draft capital after investing in Brian Thomas Jr., whose stats dipped in the very next season? His rookie season was more than just a promising start: 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns.But in the next season, the head coach changed. A new two-way rookie was added, who played receiver more than cornerback [Travis Hunter].
Jaguars CB/WR Travis Hunter may have affected Brian Thomas Jr’s performance
Hunter may not have affected Thomas directly, but it changed the team’s offensive dynamic to a distributed approach [divided targets]. Hunter became the focal point of the franchise’s 2025 passing offense.Example? In Week 7 of 2025, Thomas logged only 31 yards because Hunter was the primary target; he had 8 receptions on 14 targets for 101 yards and one touchdown. Then, in Oct. 2025, when the games were about to become crucial, Thomas had to step up because Hunter was injured [season-ending knee injury]. Then Thomas himself suffered from high ankle sprain in Nov. 2025 and foot injury in Dec. 2025. After a stellar performance in 2024, a repeat performance was expected, but he was no longer at the center of the gridiron; someone else had probably taken his spot [28 catches on 45 targets for 298 yards and 1 TD], which likely affected his game. Then, when that someone got injured, he was expected to return to his 2024 form. How could it have happened? He probably crumbled under pressure, unable to deliver his rookie-level performance.Even head coach Liam Coen’s latest comment on the LSU alum seems to be putting pressure on the Year 3 receiver. In discussing his approach, Coen noted, “This is a great opportunity for us to look at it with BTJ this offseason: these are the true areas where we can improve, let’s go attack it with relentless pursuit and not worry about the results.”Hunter will be back in 2026. Even if the two-way star is expected to be more of a CB than a WR, what would that make Thomas be/feel? That’s where trade speculations come in. Davenport has chosen the Jets for the Jaguars wideout.
Jacksonville wideout Brian Thomas Jr may not come cheap
If Jacksonville decides to make Thomas available during the draft, multiple teams will be interested in acquiring him. Cue: he will not be coming cheap.According to Spotrac, he signed a rookie contract worth $14M. In 2026, he is scheduled to earn a $1M base salary and a $1M roster bonus, while carrying a $4M cap hit and an $8M dead cap value.
New York has two first round picks it could give to Jacksonville for wideout
Now, the trade package: New York receives Brian Thomas Jr. and a 2026 third-round pick [100], whereas Jacksonville receives a 2026 first-round pick [16], a 2026 fifth-round pick [159], and a 2027 second-round pick. The Jets already have two 2026 first-round picks [one is their own and the other they obtained from the Indianapolis Colts in the Sauce Gardner trade].As for their receiving corps, other than Garrett Wilson, the pass-catching corps in New York is among the league’s weakest. Thomas did have a down year in 2025, but he has had a better season than Wilson ever has.The Bleacher Report’s analyst assumes that Ohio State WR Carnell Tate and Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson would be off the board at No. 16. So that would leave Thomas, because he is better than any of the WRs available in 2026.Analyst further took a dig at New York’s new QB, Geno Smith: with two WRs like Wilson and Thomas, even Smith could become “marginally competent.”So, would the Jaguars trade Brian Thomas Jr. to the Jets? Remains to be seen…
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