The Kansas City Chiefs might be undefeated, but that doesn't mean that they're without flaws. The wide receiver position is one of those areas of concern, especially given recent injuries, but the Chiefs could mitigate a lot of the worry by making a deal ahead of the trade deadline.
Brian Thomas Jr. makes a lot of sense as a trade candidate for the Chiefs, and it helps that the Jacksonville Jaguars appear dead set on not utilizing him in their offense. After a sensational rookie year in 2024, Thomas' numbers have regressed ever since. He has just nine catches for 105 yards and one touchdown so far in 2026, a far cry from the 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns he put up as a rookie.
During the Jags' loss to the Houston Texans on Sunday, Jacksonville didn't play Thomas for the entire second half. That the team would choose to keep a former first-round pick on the bench like that says everything about who they trust on offense (and who they don't). A fresh start is needed for everyone.
Why the Chiefs could use Brian Thomas Jr.
The Chiefs need some quick help at wide receiver. Rashee Rice and Tyquan Thornton both left Week 4's win over the Raiders with injuries. Rice (hamstring) went on to miss all of practice and Week 6 and could remain out indefinitely. Thornton (ankle) is likely to miss the rest of the regular season. That leaves Cyrus Allen, Jalen Royals, and Xavier Worthy as the main receivers for Patrick Mahomes to target.
While Worthy played well against the Chargers, Allen is a rookie, and Royals, for whatever reason, continues to be put on the back burner. Thomas would give Mahomes a vertical threat that's now missing with Thornton on injured reserve. The only interesting free agent who could move the needle at all is Tyreek Hill, but he's in the twilight of his career and coming off a terrible knee injury that ended his 2025 season after the first month.
If the Jaguars aren't going to utilize Thomas, then it's time for them to trade him. He didn't catch a single pass in the Jags' 34-31 loss to the Texans in Week 6 and, again, he has just nine receptions this year. Dropped passes have ruined any trust or chemistry with Trevor Lawrence. Considering he's in Year 3 of his rookie deal, it's time for Jacksonville to ship him off to the highest bidder.
What would it cost for the Chiefs to land Brian Thomas Jr.?
So what would it take for the Chiefs to land Thomas? It's impossible to say with any certainty, but first, it's important to note that Jacksonville has maintained that they're not interested in trading him. That's exactly what a team would say if they wanted to inflate the bids before the NFL's trade deadline of November 10.
Zachary Rotman of FanSided proposed a Chiefs-Jaguars trade that would send Thomas to Kansas City. The cost? A first-round pick from the Chiefs (that would also net a fourth-round pick coming back from Jacksonville). Rotman notes that the Chiefs' pick would come late in the first.
That cost is likely far too steep for the Chiefs or any team, but the Jags would be silly to expect that level of return for a player who's clearly fallen so far out of favor. Back in March, Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic guessed that the Jags would deal Thomas for a second-round pick. Perhaps some other draft considerations would help a team like the Chiefs sweeten the pot, given their spot in the predicted draft order.
At this point, however, could the Jaguars even expect that much? If Thomas has been crowded out of the offense—which makes sense given the play of Parker Washington, Jakobi Meyers, Josh Cameron, etc.—who is going to pay a premium pick while also absorbing the risk.
The Houston Texans just traded with the Arizona Cardinals for Marvin Harrison Jr., and the cost was a second-round pick and an additional sixth-rounder. Harrison was considered a can't miss prospect and the Jaguars would never reasonably expect a return on the same scale. Perhaps a third-round choice would get it done?
What should be clear is that the Chiefs are positioned as buyers while the Jaguars are clearly sellers—at least with this player. Brian Thomas Jr. has found himself without a meaningful role in the Jags' offense, so it makes sense for the team to at least cash in the asset for something considerable while they can. His stock has dropped, but the trade deadline brings out the competitive bids. It will be interesting to see if the Chiefs are in the hunt.
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