The Cleveland Browns have yet to add a veteran wide receiver to their roster this offseason, but they still have plenty of time to do so. With that in mind, the 2026 NFL Draft could be the setting for a big move.
Though the Jacksonville Jaguars have publicly stated they have no intention of trading wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., rumors continue to link him to the Browns. After making a significant deal during last year’s draft, the teams could pair up again this time around.
Analyst Brent Sobleski is proposing an intriguing wide receiver trade between the Browns and Jaguars, which would send Thomas to Cleveland and the No. 24 overall pick in this year’s draft back to Jacksonville.
“In what could turn out to be a fascinating turn of events reminiscent of the film Draft Day, the Cleveland Browns could send this year’s first-round pick originally acquired from the Jacksonville Jaguars back to where it belongs, with wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. being the cost of doing business. The Browns desperately need a wide receiver, with the inconsistent Jerry Jeudy serving as the squad’s top threat. Thomas can immediately enter Cleveland’s lineup as WR1 and give whoever is at quarterback a quality target, particularly in the vertical game. General manager Andrew Berry should look at the situation and realize Thomas is only 23 years old and the Browns aren’t going to get a better wide receiver with the draft pick they currently hold,” Sobleski wrote.
During the 2025 NFL Draft, the Browns traded the No. 2 overall pick to the Jaguars and received the No. 5 pick plus Jacksonville’s first-round pick in 2026 as part of the deal. Ironically, the Jaguars selected Travis Hunter with that No. 2 selection, and his presence as a wide receiver is what could make Thomas expendable now.
The Jaguars traded for wideout Jakobi Meyers during last season and signed him to a contract extension. With the additional emergence of Parker Washington and Hunter’s upcoming return from a knee injury that ended his rookie season, Jacksonville may look to fill a need at another position by dealing away Thomas.
The No. 23 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, Thomas had an exceptional first season with 87 receptions for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns, earning Pro Bowl honors and a fourth-place finish in the voting for NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year. Last season, under first-year head coach Liam Coen, that production fell to 48 catches for 707 yards and two TDs.
The Browns may be able to take advantage of a discounted cost to pry Thomas away from the Jaguars. He would immediately become their top wideout, ahead of Jeudy, Cedric Tillman, and Isaiah Bond.
If Thomas were to be made available, the Browns may face competition for his services, but they do have the advantage of working out a big deal with the Jaguars before.
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