EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsJACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Jaguars general manager James Gladstone said the team is not trying to trade receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and called any reports that they were shopping the third-year player "fraudulent claims."Gladstone said Thursday afternoon that no teams even made the Jaguars an offer for Thomas and that Thomas remains a crucial offensive player in 2026."I know the word 'reputable' came up earlier [in a previous question]. I don't think there's been any reputable statement [that the Jaguars were shopping Thomas]," Gladstone said. "We don't have any real action on any of those fronts. And you think back to where we landed at the end of the season, where our passing attack was, we have no interest in disrupting the momentum."We look forward to continuing to build off of where we left things and know that Brian Thomas is a big piece to that puzzle and we don't want that disrupted at any time."Gladstone said he had no trouble ignoring trade reports but worried that they could have a negative impact on Thomas."I care more for what weight that might put on Brian himself when it's something that's entirely out of his control and unnecessary," Gladstone said. "So I think that's where my mind would go, if anything. But when it's fraudulent claims, you just keep your mind on what you can focus on and you can actually control and try to do what's best for the Jacksonville Jaguars. And ultimately that's not the hardest thing to do when that's the role and where you can try to compartmentalize things."Thomas set a franchise rookie record with 1,282 yards receiving -- which was third in the NFL -- and had 10 TD catches in 2024. Expectations for him in 2025 were high, especially after head coach Liam Coen said at the 2025 scouting combine he planned to run the pass offense through Thomas.But Thomas looked uncomfortable in training camp. In addition to learning the new offense he and quarterback Trevor Lawrence had some issues connecting on throws.Thomas twice took off his helmet and slammed it to the ground after an incompletion, and he kicked a ball, which bounced off a bystander, after failing to make what would have been a high-difficulty catch in the end zone. It continued into the regular season, when Thomas dropped five passes in the first five games -- including a fourth-down drop inside the 10-yard line in Week 2 against Cincinnati -- and there were several instances when he appeared to shy away from contact.Thomas' struggles spurred the Jaguars to make a switch and run the pass offense through rookie Travis Hunter. In his first game in that role (Week 7 against the Los Angeles Rams) Hunter caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown. Hunter suffered a season-ending knee injury during practice before the next game, which pushed third-year player Parker Washington into a bigger role.Thomas suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 9 against Las Vegas and missed the next three games. The Jaguars acquired Jakobi Meyers via trade between Weeks 9 and 10, and Washington altered the way the Jaguars used Thomas when he finally returned to the lineup in Week 13.They used him more on the outside of the field, with 21 of his 31 targets (68%) in the final six weeks between the numbers and the sideline, an increase from 62% (37-of-60) in Weeks 1-12. Even with his struggles and the injury, Thomas caught 48 passes for 707 yards and two touchdowns in 2025 and his per-catch average matched what he did as a rookie (14.7).
