Jaguars GM James Gladstone blasts 'fraudulent' reports, reaffirming commitment to star receiver Brian Thomas Jr. and team's offensive momentum.
Rumors caught fire this week as free agency heated up that the Jacksonville Jaguars were shopping receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
But all the chatter was nothing more than "fraudulent claims," general manager James Gladstone told reporters at a press conference Thursday.
Gladstone denied the team was considering offers for the 23-year-old, whom the Jaguars drafted in the first round (23rd overall) in 2024 out of LSU.
Gladstone waved away recent claims, saying they didn't trouble him. But he said he was speaking out because he was concerned about what effect those rumors might have on Thomas.
"I don't think there's been any reputable statement," Gladstone said of reports early this week that the team was taking calls about Thomas. "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."
Indeed, the Jags' passing game had it going during the second half of the season.
Quarterback Trevor Lawrence had an erratic start to the season, having a 14/11 TD/INT ratio through Thanksgiving.
After Thanksgiving, Lawrence made turkeys out of opposing defenses, throwing 13 TD to just one INT in the last five games.
The receivers were a big part of this. Parker Washington led the way, ending the year with 847 yards and five touchdowns on 58 receptions.
Thomas was second on the team in receiving with 707 yards and two touchdowns on 48 catches.
This doesn't count the presence of Jakobi Meyers, who had 835 yards total but "only" 483 with the Jags after coming over at the trade deadline.
Jacksonville soon inked Meyers to a long-term extension.
Although these numbers are respectable, they're a significant drop-off from what Thomas did as a rookie. Thomas ended 2024 with 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns on 87 receptions and finished fourth in the Offensive Rookie of the Year voting (the second-highest among any non-quarterback).
A number of factors contributed to the statistical dropoff. For one, Thomas battled injuries, missing three games with a high ankle sprain in the middle of the year.
Thomas also struggled catching the ball early in the year, and ended up tied for second in the league with eight drops per Pro Football Focus (seven of them came in the first eight games).
With the emergence of Washington and Meyers, Thomas also wasn't relied upon as much as he was in 2024, when no other WR ended the year with more than 400 yards, and the Jags went 4-13.
Thomas having a down 2025 led to some speculation that the Jags might look to move him to help bolster their defense or get a draft pick (the Bucs don't have a first-rounder this year as a result of what they gave up to acquire Travis Hunter last year.
But for Gladstone, Thomas will be a big part of what the Jags try to accomplish in 2026.
"We look forward to continuing to build off of where we left things and know that Brian is a big piece to that puzzle," Gladstone said. "And we don't want that disrupted at any time."
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