JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 29: Brian Thomas Jr. #7 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images) Getty
The Kansas City Chiefs have suddenly found themselves heading in the wrong direction, as they have lost their past two games after opening the year on a five-game win streak. The Chiefs still clearly have the sort of talent needed to make a deep playoff run, but it's also clear that this is a team that could use some reinforcements.
The good news is that the trade deadline still hasn't struck, so Kansas City has time to find players who could come in and help it accomplish its goals. One player the Chiefs have been heavily linked to is Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., and while rumors continue to swirl around him, one insider questioned whether or not he will actually wind up being on the move.
Over the offseason, the Chiefs were expected to make some upgrades to their wide receiver corps, but that never really ended up happening. Instead, the team ran it back with Rashee Rice and Xavier Worthy as its top wide receiver duo, but both guys have struggled to consistently stay on the field early on in their respective careers.
As a result, Kansas City has reportedly shown interest in making a trade for Thomas. The No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Thomas immediately earned a Pro Bowl selection as a rookie after he racked up 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. Since then, though, Thomas has looked nothing like the player he was as a rookie.
In seven games this year, Thomas has largely been an afterthought in Jacksonville's passing attack, as he has just 10 catches for 117 yards and two scores to his name. As a result, the Jags are thought to be open to trading him, but NFL insider Ian Rapoport pumped the brakes on that assumption, suggesting that the Jaguars could opt to hang onto Thomas as they continue to race towards the top spot in the AFC South division.
"What we don't know is would Jacksonville actually move him?" Rapoport said on "NFL Live." "They're a good team. He had a touchdown last week. He is getting more and more reps as we've gone on this season. Would they actually move on from him, knowing what is out there for them? Time will tell."
GettyJACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA – DECEMBER 29: Brian Thomas Jr. #7 of the Jacksonville Jaguars looks on during the first quarter against the Tennessee Titans at EverBank Stadium on December 29, 2024 in Jacksonville, Florida. (Photo by Courtney Culbreath/Getty Images)
This is obviously bad news for the Chiefs, as Thomas seems to be their top trade target at the wide receiver position. It's not too hard to see why, as Thomas has WR1 upside that he just has not been able to consistently showcase for the Jags. Landing in Kansas City and working with Patrick Mahomes could change things for Thomas, and that is clearly something the Chiefs would be interested in exploring.
Instead, the front office may have to pivot, with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Josh Downs being another potential option for the team. Regardless of who ends up coming to town, K.C. seems intent on doing something ahead of the trade deadline, which makes it one of the more intriguing teams to keep an eye on over the coming days.
This article was originally published on HEAVY
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