Would a Brian Thomas Jr. Trade Make Sense for Steelers?

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols on Aug. 9, 2025. -- Ed Thompson / Steelers NowEven after an impressive 5-2 start to the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers offense continues to have issues putting points on the board. Through seven weeks, the passing attack led by Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy ranks 27th in dropback EPA per play and 21st in success rate. Their rushing attack continues to be both efficient and explosive, but drives have stagnated too often in third-and-medium and red-zone situations. With two wide receivers, Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson, already on injured reserve, it begs the question: Should this be a team looking to trade for another playmaker?Steelers offensive rankings through week 7, pending MNF:EPA/play: 20thSuccess rate: 22ndDropback EPA: 27thDropback success rate: 25thRushing EPA: 2ndRushing success rate: 12th— Derrick (@Steelers_DB) October 26, 2026One of the hottest names on the rumor mill is Brian Thomas Jr., the Jaguars’ third-year wideout who has fallen down the pecking order in Liam Coen’s offense following the ascension of Parker Washington and the arrival of Jakobi Meyers. The LSU product didn’t play a single snap in the second half of Jacksonville’s loss to the Houston Texans last week, as the Jaguars instead unleashed Travis Hunter. Thomas is only a year and a half removed from an incredible rookie season in 2024, when he notched 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. General manager Omar Khan has been trying to overhaul this position since taking over in 2023, so could Thomas be the potential missing piece?Speed is the name of his game. Thomas has the God-given ability to stack virtually any cornerback in the league on vertical routes with his explosiveness. The rare combination of burst off the ball and a blazing top gear makes him a legitimate lid lifter who can create space for his teammates underneath. He comes with a wealth of experience against press coverage and an understanding of how to win early in the rep by varying his releases or simply hitting the nitrous button immediately. This is a long-striding glider who eats up off-coverage cushion in an instant, striking the fear of God into opposing defensive backs by regularly forcing them to prematurely open their hips in an attempt to stay on top of him.pic.twitter.com/pXY9EoQKfo— Draft_247 (@Draft_247) October 26, 2026What separates him from his peers in this receiver archetype is his surprising fluidity and lower-body flexibility, which allow him to snap defenders off at the break point. Thomas has flashed the ability to decelerate in ways that aren’t typical for players his size, crossing defenders’ faces and winning back leverage. Out-breaking routes have accounted for many of his best reps against man coverage. There are also glimpses of the craftsmanship you want to see at the NFL level, including being proactive with his hands throughout the route stem and displaying late hands at the catch point. Those traits complement his tracking ability on over-the-shoulder throws downfield.There are a couple of massive weaknesses in Thomas’ game that have contributed to his being relegated to what has essentially become a sacrificial X role in the Jaguars’ offense this season. The biggest issue is that he’s struggled mightily against zone coverage and clearly has a long way to go in learning how to identify the defense’s soft spots. In 2025, there were numerous examples early in the season of him drifting on routes or pulling up prematurely in anticipation of contact. His execution on concepts that required him to run wrap-ins or deep digs was so catastrophic at times that it actively hurt the offense, even leading to turnovers. Jacksonville eventually eliminated those routes from his tree altogether.pic.twitter.com/n6Lwm8oYeA— Draft_247 (@Draft_247) October 26, 2026He’s also had an inexplicably difficult time catching the football, failing to establish any semblance of chemistry or trust with Trevor Lawrence and often looking like a difficult target to throw to. The occasional focus drop is understandable, but some of his shortcomings are technique-related, with a frustrating mix of body catches and clapping at the football. For someone with such impressive measurables, Thomas doesn’t play particularly big at the catch point. His catch radius feels more theoretical than functional, as he’s struggled to make difficult grabs, particularly through contact in contested-catch situations. As he’s been continually phased out of the offense, his attention to detail in every phase has dwindled.For as much big-play potential as a DK Metcalf–Thomas duo would bring to the table, it’s a clunky fit given the similarities in their skill sets, not to mention the extreme volatility in both players’ games. Even though the tape and production have been disappointing recently, we’ve already seen Thomas’ talent on display at the professional level when he’s been healthy. But this type of swing for the fences would make more sense if the Steelers weren’t already heavily financially committed to Metcalf as their WR1 for years to come. By trading for Thomas now, the franchise would be betting that he’s capable of becoming a more well-rounded receiver than he’s shown to date.As is the case with any move, the cost matters a ton in this instance. No one is going to debate whether the former first-round pick could step into Wilson’s role in this offense and represent an upgrade. Fellow member of the 2024 draft class Marvin Harrison Jr., who has actually been less productive in the pros, just fetched a second-round pick a few weeks ago. So while Thomas’ stock has certainly fallen from where it once stood, the asking price doesn’t seem likely to be pennies on the dollar, particularly for a team looking to make a postseason run.Given his talent, there’s a realistic pathway for Thomas to turn his career around in the right ecosystem, but this doesn’t feel like a gamble worth taking from Pittsburgh’s perspective.Related HeadlinesDB’s Steelers Dudes & Duds: Queen Balls Out; Fautanu StrugglesSteelers Daily News & Links: Aaron Rodgers Iced Out; Insane Jaylen Warren StatSteelers Rival Suffers Yet Another Critical Injury BlowRead more at Steelers Now