Brian Thomas Jr. tunes out trade talk, says he's just trying to work hard for Jaguars
The Jaguars receiver addressed trade rumors Wednesday, saying he isn't worried about his future and plans to keep working through a rough stretch.
Why Thomas is trending
Brian Thomas Jr. is trending because the Jaguars receiver spent Wednesday addressing trade rumors directly, telling reporters he isn't concerned about the speculation and doesn't plan to let it change how he goes about his job.
The talk picked up after Thomas struggled in the Jaguars' 34-31 loss to the Texans in London on Oct. 18. He dropped a pass and missed a catchable throw in the first half, then didn't play a single snap in the second half. He left the Wembley Stadium locker room that day without talking to reporters.
There's no indication from the team that a trade is close. The only official word on the subject remains general manager James Gladstone's comments from the spring, and nothing since has changed that.
What Thomas said
"Everybody's entitled to their own opinion," Thomas said Wednesday, adding that he just tries to go out and be the best player he can be.
Thomas said he wants to move past the London game with a different mindset. "Everybody goes through adversity," he said, and added that fighting through it is the only way he knows how to handle it.
He said he plans to keep showing up with a good mindset at practice and handling what he called the little things, including blocking.
The numbers behind the noise
Thomas has nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown in six games this season, with four drops marked by ESPN Research. Coach Liam Coen said this week that every player has ups and downs, and said he expects Thomas to make plays Sunday against the Colts.
Gladstone addressed trade speculation about Thomas back in the spring too, before free agency, saying the team wasn't shopping him and calling those reports fraudulent claims.
The bigger picture
Thomas set a franchise rookie record with 1,282 receiving yards in 2024, third most in the NFL that year, with 10 touchdown catches and a Pro Bowl berth. Expectations climbed further after Coen said at the scouting combine that he planned to build the passing game around Thomas.
That plan hit turbulence. Thomas looked uncomfortable in training camp while learning the new offense and had trouble connecting with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The issues carried into the 2025 season, including a fourth-down drop near the goal line in Week 2 against the Bengals, and there were stretches when he appeared to shy away from contact.
Facts per ESPN. Opinion is the taproom's.