Ranking Brian Thomas's Potential Trade Partners for Fit

4. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Jacksonville Jaguars faithful would like to see Brian Thomas Jr. succeed even if he were traded off the team. The Pittsburgh Steelers wouldn't exactly be a promising landing spot for the former first-round pick. Steel City is one of the most rudderless franchises in the NFL at this juncture.

The legendary Mike Tomlin stepped down after yet another near .500 season and brutal defeat early in the playoffs. Rather than bring in an exciting young mind to take over the reins, the Steelers brought in veteran retread Mike McCarthy. Their best option at quarterback next season is either to re-sign Aaron Rodgers or take a swing in the draft on an uninspiring prospect like Alabama's Ty Simpson. Lastly, BTJ would be a poor fit alongside DK Metcalf, considering their similar archetypes as physical freaks with limited route trees.

3. Las Vegas Raiders

Unlike the Steelers, the Las Vegas Raiders do have a solid plan at quarterback. They'll almost certainly be taking Indiana's Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Grabbing a legitimate WR1 to replace Jakobi Meyers would be a good idea for a team hoping to properly develop a QB.

While Las Vegas does lack an elite wideout, it's not short on deep threats. Between Tre Tucker and Dont'e Thornton Jr., the Raiders already have two pass-catchers who do their best work taking the top off of opposing defenses. Ideally, they'll want to add a receiver who can consistently make himself available for Mendoza in the intermediate range and make plays after the reception.

2. New England Patriots

Seeing BTJ in a New England Patriots jersey would be absolutely revolting for most Jaguars fans, but there's no doubt that he could find plenty of success on that team. In his second year, Drake Maye emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate partly due to his ability to connect with his receivers deep downfield.

He proved to be one of the most accurate deep throwers in the league despite having a pretty limited weapons core around him. Between BTJ's physical profile, galloping gait, and acceleration after the catch, he'd be a dangerous threat for Maye on virtually every snap. Thomas Jr. shouldn't have much trouble earning the lion's share of the targets in New England, either, even with Stefon Diggs on the roster.

1. Buffalo Bills

BTJ would be the most naturally gifted receiver on the Patriots' depth chart from Day 1, but he'd still have to outperform Diggs and other solid pass-catchers like Kayshon Boutte to prove his mettle. If he were traded to the Buffalo Bills, though, he'd be the undisputed WR1 from the jump.

Khalil Shakir's connection with Josh Allen can't be denied, but offensive coordinator Joe Brady relegated him to a gadget role this past season. Now, Brady is the new head coach in Buffalo. Thomas Jr. could seamlessly become who Keon Coleman was supposed to be for the Bills: a consistent deep threat who can win at the catch point and make life easier on Allen. BTJ could also thrive making plays downfield on scramble drills when Allen pulls the defense in with his scrambling.

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