Brian Thomas Jr. trade speculation grows after Jaguars benching and Steelers plea
Thomas’s reduced role against Houston and a former Steelers player’s call for Pittsburgh to pursue him have revived trade talk. Jacksonville has not announced a deal.
Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr. is the subject of renewed trade speculation after playing a career-low 15 snaps in the team’s October 18 loss to Houston in London. Former Pittsburgh Steelers lineman Trai Essex publicly urged Pittsburgh to pursue Thomas on October 19, but his appeal and the trade scenarios published since the game do not establish that Jacksonville plans to move him.
Why Thomas’s reduced role has prompted trade talk
Thomas dropped two passes in the first half against the Texans and did not play in the second half, according to the Florida Times-Union. The limited playing time sharpened questions about his place in the Jaguars’ offense after a slow start to the season: he has nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown through six games.
Steelers Depot reported that Thomas has gone without a catch in Jacksonville’s past two games. That is a sharp change from his 2024 rookie season, when he caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns and earned Pro Bowl honors. His production fell to 48 catches for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2025. Those figures help explain why his current usage is drawing attention, while his rookie season explains the continuing interest in what he could offer another team.
What Essex said about a Pittsburgh trade
Essex wrote on October 19 that Thomas ‘needs to be a Steeler,’ Steelers Depot reported. He also said he would give up no more than a fourth-round pick for the receiver. Essex is a former Pittsburgh player expressing a preference, not a member of the team making a trade proposal.
Steelers coach Mike McCarthy has said Pittsburgh is open to adding a receiver, according to Steelers Depot. The statement does not identify Thomas as a target. The Florida Times-Union has outlined possible destinations and trade packages, but those are the reporter’s scenarios, not offers attributed to the teams involved.
Jacksonville’s position on earlier Thomas rumors
Jaguars general manager James Gladstone previously called trade rumors about Thomas ‘fraudulent’ and said the team had ‘no interest in disrupting the momentum,’ the Florida Times-Union reported. Those comments predate the Houston game and do not settle what Jacksonville might decide now. The club has not announced a Thomas trade or confirmed negotiations with Pittsburgh or another team.
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Sources and context
- Could Jaguars trade Brian Thomas Jr.? 4 teams that make senseThe Florida Times-Union (by Demetrius Harvey; republished by Yahoo Sports)
- 'Brian Thomas Jr. Needs To Be A Steeler': Trai Essex Wants Pittsburgh To Trade For Jaguars WRSteelers Depot
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.