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Brian Thomas Jr. #7 of the Jacksonville Jaguars could be a Cleveland Browns trade target.
One of the questions that the Cleveland Browns, and many teams across the league who are in need of wide receiver help, have been asking this offseason is what, exactly, happened with Jaguars star Brian Thomas Jr. in 2025?
Thomas was a first-round pick out of LSU in 2024, and played like a star in his rookie season, collecting 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns to earn a Pro Bowl spot. But then came Year 2 in Jacksonville, and Thomas seemed to lose all confidence. In 14 games, he caught 48 passes for 707 yards, and his drop percentage bolted from 5.3% to 11.0%.
That was mostly with Mac Jones under center, though. With Trevor Lawrence back at QB1 last year, there was clearly not much of a connection with Thomas, and his status within the team sank. That led to a report that the Jaguars were open to listening to offers on Thomas, a surprise turn of events for a player who once looked like a star-in the making.
‘Surprise’ Browns Trade for Brian Thomas Jr.
More on the Jaguars’ stance on Thomas in a moment, but for the Browns, Thomas would be an ideal add, a buy-low option who is only 23 and has star ability. Browns reporter Tony Grossi noted last week that the Browns were investigating a trade for BTJ.
Bleacher Report over the weekend, too, made a Browns-Thomas suggestion in an article titled, “7 Surprise Trades That Can Still Happen After Early 2026 NFL Free Agency.”
In it, the site lists, “Browns Acquire WR Brian Thomas Jr. from the Jaguars,” as one of the deals and adds, “The Browns desperately need help at wide receiver, with Jerry Jeudy leading the group. So, they may present a strong offer to acquire Thomas if he’s available. Remember, Cleveland has two 2026 first-round picks because of its deal with Jacksonville last year.
“The Browns can offer one of two first-rounders for Thomas to upgrade their below-average receiver corps.”
Jerry Jeudy #3 of the Cleveland Browns
GettyJerry Jeudy #3 of the Cleveland Browns
Browns Would Protect 1st-Round Picks
Getting Thomas into the Browns’ receiver room would certainly be an upgrade, considering the team had the worst receivers in the NFL in 2025 and has done nothing to improve that situation. But there are obstacles and arguments to be had about the potential for being that aggressive to bring in Thomas.
A first-round pick would be too much to give up. Obviously, the Browns’ No. 6 overall pick would be off the table, but even the No. 24 pick, which is coming in from Jacksonville, would probably be too much given that Thomas is damaged goods after last season. He was No. 23 overall in the 2024 draft–giving up No. 24 overall in 2026 does not constitute buying low.
Something more in the neighborhood of the Browns’ second- and fourth-round picks makes more sense, though maybe not for the Jaguars.
GM Says ‘Fraudulent Claims’ Driving Brian Thomas Jr. Rumors
The other issue for the Browns is that the Jaguars are not trading Brian Thomas Jr. That’s according to both current reports and a statement made by Jaguars GM James Gladstone last week, who said the notion that the Jaguars are shopping Thomas are “fraudulent claims.”
“I know the word ‘reputable’ came up earlier. I don’t think there’s been any reputable statement [that the Jaguars were shopping Thomas],” Gladstone said. “We don’t have any real action on any of those fronts. And you think back to where we landed at the end of the season, where our passing attack was, we have no interest in disrupting the momentum.”
That is a pretty strong statement. Of course, GMs say things like that all the time, and can still trade the player a week later. But until Gladstone backs off that stance, a trade with the Browns seems a longshot.