With the NFL trade deadline approaching, ESPN's Bill Barnwell put together several hypothetical trade proposals, one of which featured Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
In Barnwell's suggested deal, Thomas Jr. heads to the Las Vegas Raiders, and in return, the Jaguars receive a 2027 second-round pick.
"The Marvin Harrison Jr. trade established an asking price for Thomas," Barnwell wrote. "Harrison was a better prospect entering the league in the same draft class, which would make him more appealing to teams that really value their scouting reports. Thomas, on the other hand, has actually had a high-end season as a pro, racking up 1,282 yards as a rookie while catching passes from Lawrence and Mac Jones. I'm not sure there were a lot of teams lining up to trade a second-round pick for Harrison, but the Cardinals were able to find one. I expect that the Jaguars could also find one here."
While the Jaguars have repeatedly said for some time now that they don't plan on trading Thomas Jr. -- and reports from NFL insiders echo those sentiments -- it's becoming increasingly difficult to see where the wide receiver fits in Liam Coen's offense.
For much of the season, Thomas Jr.'s contributions have been minimal, and now his playing time is drastically decreasing as well. In the Houston game this past Sunday, Thomas Jr. played just 15 offensive snaps, including none in the second half.
"Week to week. Guys have to step up and make plays," Coen said of Thomas Jr. after the Houston game, via ESPN.
On the season, he has nine receptions on 18 targets for 105 yards and a score. Over the last two games, Thomas Jr. has no catches.
Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers lead the way at wideout for the Jaguars, while Josh Cameron has steadily earned more opportunities, and it looks like Travis Hunter could as well. The Jaguars ' use of two- and three-tight-end sets doesn't help Thomas Jr.'s case either.
The Jaguars don't have to trade Thomas Jr. just for the sake of doing so. They can let things play out. That said, coming out of this most recent game, the Jaguars may now be more willing to listen to offers than they were previously.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: ESPN proposes Jaguars trade Brian Thomas Jr. to fellow AFC team