Patriots need to pounce on Brian Thomas Jr. trade to bolster struggling offense

The New England Patriots have quickly gone from one of the league's most hopeless-looking teams to one of the best and most resilient. After a 1-2 start that included the worst offense in football over the first three games, New England has bounced back with a three-game win streak to reach 4-2.

Crucially, they remain undefeated in the division, having beaten both the Bills and the Jets.

The Patriots were without two of their top receivers against the Bears this past Thursday night. While A.J. Brown returned on Sunday against the Jets as expected, Romeo Doubs joined Mack Hollins on IR after sustaining a shoulder injury on a 42-yard touchdown catch.

While Brown's return was one to forget, expectations are that he'll return to form soon. Beyond the ex-Eagle, the Patriots' receiving corps will need to step up—specifically, Pop Douglas, Efton Chism, and Kyle Williams.

Recently, each player has had success. Douglas recorded 11 catches for 151 yards and a trio of touchdowns over the last two games. Chism made a spectacular touchdown catch to seal the Patriots' win over the Bills and managed 57 yards on five catches against the Raiders. Williams' three catches against Las Vegas yielded a touchdown and 91 yards, a career high.

Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon also have roles in the receiving game, but New England's receiving talent is thinning out with so many injuries. If Brown returns to form, he's no doubt an upgrade over Doubs, but the Patriots should still look to add if they find someone worth moving for.

As the deadline approaches, one player has become a particularly interesting trade target.

Brian Thomas Jr. could be a trade target for new England over the coming weeks

After a spectacular rookie season, Brian Thomas Jr. looked set to join the lineage of LSU wide receivers who became NFL stars. He played in all 17 games, catching 87 passes on 133 targets for nearly 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The following season, however, new head coach Liam Coen was hired, and a sophomore slump followed.

Despite the Jaguars' success last season, Thomas managed just 707 yards and 2 touchdowns on 48 catches. 2026 has been even worse, with Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers emerging in his first full season with the team.

Through six games, Thomas has nine catches for 105 yards and a touchdown. In Week 5 against the Eagles, he had the first game of his career without a catch. The same occurred in Week 6, when he didn't play a single snap in the second half against Houston.

Seeing as Marvin Harrison Jr., a fellow receiver from the 2024 draft class, was just traded for a second-round pick by a coaching staff that didn't select him, Coen and company may do the same.

If the Patriots have the chance to buy a player with proven superstar-level talent at a discount, they should pull the trigger, especially given the state of their receiver room.

What would compensation look like for Brian Thomas Jr.?

While Thomas's introduction to the NFL was smoother than Harrison's, I'd expect compensation to be relatively similar. Harrison was sent to Houston for a second-round pick and a swap of late-round selections.

The Jaguars are in a stronger position than the Cardinals, so they may hesitate to trade him to an AFC team. Nonetheless, if New England's offer is better than the others, GM James Gladstone may overlook that, especially since the Jaguars crushed the Patriots by 29 points in Week 3.

Trading away future resources for help at receiver now may seem shortsighted, but Thomas is only 24, with up to two years left on his contract if the Patriots exercise his fifth-year option. Furthermore, at the end of the season, the Patriots will have to decide the futures of free agents Mack Hollins and Pop Douglas.

A 24-year-old Thomas could step in to replace them, leaving the Patriots with a room of Brown, Doubs, Thomas, Chism, and Williams.

While overpaying for a receiver just months after making a move for Brown and handing Doubs nearly $70 million would be a poor move, landing Thomas for the right price (a second-round pick?) would be a savvy move.

Adding the ex-LSU Tiger would not only shore up the receiver room in the short term, but also add a 24-year-old with a 1,200-yard season under his belt to Foxborough's ranks.

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