The Jacksonville Jaguars could potentially part ways with one of their top receivers this offseason, as SNY reported that general manager James Gladstone is open to listening to trade offers for Brian Thomas Jr. The Jaguars would want something significant in return for the 23-year-old pass-catcher, but it’s believed he could be had for the right price.
BTJ had a historic rookie season in 2024. After the Jaguars selected him No. 23 overall out of LSU, Thomas caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. He became just the fourth rookie since 1970 to surpass 1,200 receiving yards and catch double-digit touchdowns, joining Randy Moss, Odell Beckham Jr. and Ja’Marr Chase. Despite quarterback Trevor Lawrence dealing with numerous injuries that season, Thomas recorded seven straight games with at least 75 receiving yards — the second-longest streak by a first-year player since 1970 — and caught an NFL-high 53% of his team’s touchdowns. However, 2025 was a different story.
Thomas dealt with injuries and struggled with drops. In fact, his 10 drops tied for the second-most in the NFL. The Jaguars even acquired Jakobi Meyers at the trade deadline to help the receiving corps, while Parker Washington stepped up as Lawrence’s most reliable target. Overall, Thomas caught 48 passes for 707 yards and just two touchdowns in 14 games played. He had zero 100-yard outings and was held under 50 receiving yards eight times.
If the Jaguars are open to trading Thomas, there will certainly be a market. Below, we break down five potential landing spots for BTJ.
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Denver Broncos
The Broncos should be in the market for a new weapon. This team might have made the Super Bowl if Bo Nix hadn’t injured his ankle during the divisional-round victory over the Buffalo Bills.
It’s clear Denver’s Super Bowl window is open right now, so big swings are necessary. The Broncos’ passing attack didn’t even rank in the top 10 last year, as Courtland Sutton struggled with consistency while Evan Engram wasn’t the godsend some imagined he would be. Thomas could potentially take this Broncos offense to the next level.
Washington Commanders
The Commanders reportedly made a massive offer to Alec Pierce before he decided to remain with the Indianapolis Colts. Now they could turn their attention to a young player who would pair nicely with Terry McLaurin. Wide receiver is again a need for the Commanders, as last year’s leading receiver Deebo Samuel, Zach Ertz, Noah Brown and Chris Moore are all free agents.
One factor that could hurt Washington in the BTJ sweepstakes is its lack of draft capital. The Commanders’ 2026 second- and fourth-round picks belong to the Houston Texans in the Laremy Tunsil trade. Still, Jayden Daniels needs more help if Washington is going to bounce back in 2026.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Maybe Thomas could remain in the state of Florida. The Buccaneers lost franchise legend Mike Evans to the San Francisco 49ers in free agency, so general manager Jason Licht could replace him with a younger deep threat.
Emeka Egbuka had a stellar rookie season with 938 receiving yards and six touchdowns, but Baker Mayfield needs more. Chris Godwin is now 30 years old and averaged just 40 receiving yards in nine games last season. The Buccaneers did re-sign tight end Cade Otton, but that isn’t enough to make up for the production Evans brought to this offense over the last decade.
New England Patriots
The Patriots are another team that missed out on Pierce and are rumored to be in the A.J. Brown sweepstakes as well. If Brown stays put in Philadelphia, could the reigning AFC champions turn their attention to Thomas?
The Patriots are set to release Stefon Diggs, and he was the only player to surpass 770 receiving yards last year for New England. If the Patriots want to remain atop the AFC East and ahead of the Bills, adding more weapons for Drake Maye is a must.
New York Jets
SNY reported that the Jets called the Jaguars about BTJ last year, so they have to be included on this list. Plus, Darren Mougey and Aaron Glenn have already been active in the trade market this offseason, swinging deals for T’Vondre Sweat and Minkah Fitzpatrick.
New York owns four picks in the top 44 of this upcoming draft, so it could target a wide receiver with high upside. The Jets have been busy upgrading their defense in free agency, agreeing to terms with players such as Joseph Ossai, Demario Davis, David Onyemata and Kingsley Enagbare. Now it’s time to address the offensive side of the ball.
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