Brian Thomas Jr. had 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a first-round rookie in 2024. He looked like a budding superstar with the Jacksonville Jaguars. Well, Liam Coen took over as the team's head coach in 2025, and while the team has taken off since, Thomas' production has lagged behind. He had just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2025, and entered Sunday's game against the Houston Texans in London with nine receptions for 105 yards and one touchdown this season.
What if I told you that, in a 34-31 game in which Trevor Lawrence had 24 completions, 306 yards and four passing touchdowns, Thomas' season stats weren't altered at all? He was targeted twice and totaled zero receptions on the day. Six skill position players had at least one reception, but Thomas was nowhere to be found. This can't even be viewed as an anomaly, as Thomas didn't record a single reception in Week 5, either. At this point, a change of scenery might be best for both Thomas and the Jaguars. Here's a look at what they can expect in return from three wide receiver-needy teams.
This Jaguars-Chiefs mock trade would give Patrick Mahomes a needed receiver upgrade
The Kansas City Chiefs are 4-0, but their leading wide receiver, Tyquan Thornton, suffered a fractured ankle that's expected to sideline him for much if not all of the regular season. Their most talented receiver, Rashee Rice, is out for Week 6 with a hamstring injury. Kenneth Walker III has been an important addition, but who is Patrick Mahomes supposed to throw to right now other than Walker and Travis Kelce? That's where Thomas would factor in, but it'd come at a steep cost.
Chiefs fans are likely going to call me crazy, but hear me out. 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. How different is a first-rounder from a 4-0 team compared to a second-rounder from an 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 something truly eye-popping in return?
The Jags can give the Chiefs a fourth-rounder to sweeten the pot a bit, but if they want to acquire Thomas from a team they'll likely be in competition with in the AFC, they'll need to pay up.
This Jaguars-Raiders mock trade would give Brian Thomas Jr. the best possible fresh start
If we're ranking landing spots for Thomas, the Las Vegas Raiders would be near or at the top of the list. There wouldn't be the pressure of joining a Super Bowl contender right away as there would be in Kansas City, and it's not like Tre Tucker is the best receiver on the planet (although he is the de facto WR1 in Las Vegas). Thomas should get fed the ball a decent amount in an offense that lacks reliability beyond Brock Bowers, and he can be part of an emerging young offensive core.
In return, the Jags would receive the same second-rounder that the Cardinals got for Harrison, as well as a fourth-rounder which can serve as an AFC tax of sorts. The Raiders might not be contenders now, but the Jaguars would only be willing to help a conference rival on the rise if the return is a worthwhile one.
The Raiders shouldn't be eager to give up draft picks for many players, but Thomas, who just turned 24 years old 10 days ago, can be a long-term building block for Las Vegas. There's a good chance he'll be better than anyone they can realistically get in the second round of the upcoming draft. From Jacksonville's perspective, getting two valuable picks is better than keeping around a receiver who is merely an afterthought right now.
This Jaguars-49ers trade would give San Francisco needed wide receiver depth
No team needs Thomas more than the San Francisco 49ers, who are without Ricky Pearsall for the year, De'Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson for a while and Brandon Aiyuk for who knows how long? Not to mention Mike Evans and Deebo Samuel have been banged up and are on the wrong side of 30. They need a receiver in the worst way.
And they should be willing to give up a second-round pick for it. Despite all of their injuries, the Niners are 5-0. They're legitimate Super Bowl contenders, and their odds of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy would only rise with Thomas in the fold. A second-rounder is not nothing, but the Niners are a win-now team and need to act like it.
As for Jacksonville, if they need to trade Thomas, sending him to the NFC where he'd only be an issue in the Super Bowl, makes the most sense. They'd still get a second-round pick, which is valuable, in exchange for a player whose role in their offense is hard to spot. Seems like a pretty good deal for both sides.
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