This week, we asked Jacksonville Jaguars fans if it’s time to trade wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Only a fifth of respondents said yes.
As I outlined in the original survey this week, the Jaguars still have a chance to sell somewhat high on Thomas. It’s only a matter of time before his present-day production overshadows his draft pedigree and rookie success.
According to PFF, Thomas ranks 50th among 85 qualifying receivers in yards per route run (1.48).
And apparently, the Arizona Cardinals are about to fetch a second-round pick (or more) for Marvin Harrison Jr., who has the league’s fourth-worst mark in yards per route run (0.60).
Thomas is at least contributing to the Jaguars’ offense, even if it isn’t to the degree we’d hoped; Harrison has been flat-out terrible!
If there was ever a time to trade Thomas, it’d be now. Can you imagine the market for a “former first-round receiver who hasn’t lived up to expectations” getting any higher? The team acquiring Harrison is not the only one desperate for a potential playmaker. Plenty do Tobias Funke meme of deluding themselves into thinking they’re the ones who will maximize needs-change-of-scenery players.
The thing is, as much as it seems that Thomas isn’t as good as he could be, he doesn’t need a change of scenery. Liam Coen literally said, “We’re going to need him” earlier this week. There has been zero evidence of a poor relationship between him and the Jaguars, or any kind of off-the-field concerns. The only real news we’ve gotten is that Jacksonville has shown no interest in trading Thomas—as has been repeated for much of the past calendar year, including just today by Tom Pelissero.
The receiver market is worth monitoring until the NFL’s trade deadline on November 10. But unless we start to hear a different tune, I’ll quit the bit and stop bringing up this topic. Thomas doesn’t appear to be going anywhere. Even if Harrison’s impending move gives the Jaguars better trade leverage, No. 7 is too good to lose.
As for the confidence survey, 98% of fans are confident the team is headed in the right direction.
The only time last season that fans’ confidence was higher was following Jacksonville’s Week 16 win at Mile High.
Here’s how Jacksonville’s odds to win Super Bowl LXI have shifted over the course of the season, per FanDuel Sportsbook.