To say this season has been underwhelming for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. would be an understatement. After racking up 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie, the dynamic 6-foot-2 receiver has looked like a shell of himself. Notably, Thomas recorded just 365 yards and one touchdown, while his catch rate has dropped from 65.4 percent to 49.1 percent.
Dianna Russini of The Athletic ($) reported that the Jaguars are listening on calls for BTJ, even if a move feels highly unlikely. The Jaguars giving up on a clearly talented second-year receiver would frankly be hilarious. Of course, Russini noted a move feels unlikely, but still, the Jags listening to offers has to mean something.
From the perspective of other teams, though, exploring trade options for a talented former first-round receiver would be enticing. It's unclear what price the Jaguars would part ways with Thomas for. However, if the offer is right, it seems possible that the Jags will move off of Thomas, and his value has certainly declined since last season.
Thomas' struggles are partly on him, as he has struggled to make routine catches. However, sometimes, a change of scenery is all a player needs to get their season (and career) back on track, and playing alongside Trevor Lawrence hasn't helped him.
Let's dive into three teams that should at least explore trading for Thomas.
Note this is purely my opinion, and unless I cite the work of others, there isn't reporting attached to these ideas.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are one of the best spots a receiver could land, with immaculate play-calling and a now (somewhat suddenly) elite quarterback in Baker Mayfield. Following Mike Evans' six-to-eight week injury and Chris Godwin's fibula injury, it's fair to expect that the Bucs could look to upgrade their WR depth.
A combination of rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka and Thomas is fascinating to me. Unless the Bucs have a ton of confidence in the rookie receiver Tez Johnson or believe in Godwin returning to full health (somehow), I don't see a reason why they don't at least call about Thomas.
The Bucs are eyeing a Super Bowl run, and Thomas is a worthy upside swing that could help them get there. Tampa Bay has one of the best passing offenses in the league, but is it sustainable with their injuries?
For Thomas, playing in a pass-heavy offense with an elite quarterback would certainly help him bounce back.
2. Denver Broncos
Earlier this week, Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports reported that the Denver Broncos are the biggest contender to trade for a receiver. Given this, you would have to expect them to be in the mix for Thomas, right?
The Broncos have a solid WR core of Courtland Sutton, Troy Franklin, and Marvin Mims. However, they could use a boost next to Sutton, and Thomas would be an ideal fit. Why not give Bo Nix to big yet explosive deep threats?
Denver is currently in the middle of the pack for passing yards per game. As they try to establish themselves as true contenders, this is a clear area to upgrade. The offense has upside, but they need to make a move and make life easier for Nix. Thomas would be an ideal upside swing. Plus, given his age, the LSU product would be a long-term fit next to Nix.
Overall, the Broncos are certainly one of the teams that should look into Thomas.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers were the first team that came to mind for me. Pittsburgh's offense has been surprisingly competent with a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers leading the way. Impressively, they are averaging 25 points per game.
Nevertheless, they lack a dependable receiver outside of DK Metcalf, something that has been discussed since the offseason. The Steelers are eyeing to win their first playoff game since 2017, and that is likely not something that can be done with Calvin Austin serving as their WR2.
It's been well-reported that the Steelers are in the market for a wide receiver, and Russini confirmed this in her report. In terms of upside, Thomas should be at the top of their list. Undoubtedly, general manager Omar Khan should be calling James Gladestone about Thomas.
From Thomas' perspective, playing alongside a Hall-of-Fame quarterback and a stable organization could be the perfect recipe to get his career back on track.