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By Rowan Fisher-Shotton
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Trade speculation surrounding Brian Thomas Jr. has been one of the more surprising storylines of the NFL offseason.
Over the past several weeks, reports and league chatter suggested the Jacksonville Jaguars might be open to dealing the young wide receiver if the right offer emerged, sparking debate about whether the franchise was prepared to move on from one of its most talented offensive pieces.
But on Thursday, James Gladstone, the Jaguars’ general manager, moved to quiet those rumors.
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Speaking publicly about the speculation, Gladstone said the team has not received any trade offers for Thomas and emphasized that the organization has no intention of disrupting the momentum of its offense.
According to Gladstone, Thomas remains a “big piece of the Jaguars’ offensive puzzle,” a statement that signals the team’s current stance: Jacksonville is not actively exploring a trade.
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Thomas, the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft out of LSU, burst onto the scene as one of the league’s most dynamic rookie receivers.
In his first season, he hauled in 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, setting franchise rookie records and quickly becoming a favorite target of quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
The production earned Thomas recognition as one of the league’s rising offensive stars and helped cement his place as a foundational piece of Jacksonville’s passing game.
However, his second season was more turbulent.
Thomas battled injuries and inconsistency during the 2025 campaign, finishing with just 48 receptions for 707 yards and two touchdowns across 14 games.
While those numbers still reflected big-play ability, averaging 14.7 yards per reception, they also represented a noticeable drop from his rookie output.
The dip in production, combined with the Jaguars’ evolving receiving corps, led some analysts to speculate that Jacksonville could consider selling high on a young player still carrying strong trade value.
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Interest around the league was easy to understand.
Even with a down second season, Thomas remains one of the NFL’s more physically gifted young receivers.
At 6-foot-2 and over 200 pounds with elite speed, he profiles as a prototypical vertical threat capable of stretching defenses.
Additionally, Thomas is still on his rookie contract, giving any acquiring team multiple seasons of cost-controlled production.
For franchises seeking to add a high-upside receiver without committing to a massive veteran contract, that combination makes him an intriguing trade target.
Several teams were loosely connected to the rumor mill as potential suitors, fueling speculation that Jacksonville could receive significant offers if it chose to listen.
For now, however, the Jaguars appear intent on keeping their young star in place.
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