It's the world's worst secret that the New York Giants would like to add to their wide receiver room before Week 1 of the 2026 season. Right now the group is coming-back-from-a-torn-ACL Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, and Isaiah Hodgins. They're not exactly the Avengers.
But that doesn't mean they can't become an Avengers-Lite. And while the free agent market hasn’t provided the help they need to assemble the appropriate weapons yet, that doesn't mean their dreams are dead. Trade whispers have been swirling around one target in particular who could take this offense to the next level.
One name that's popped up in trade speculation is Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr., the electric 2024 first-round pick who immediately became one of the most explosive young playmakers in the league. Pairing him with Nabers could feed families. But actually acquiring him could prove difficult.
And although ESPN insider Adam Schefter would have you believe the Jags aren't interested in trading their 23-year-old wideout (GM speak for we want to drive the price up), the Raiders weren't interested in trading Maxx Crosby, either. Too soon?
Jaguars expert floats Brian Thomas Jr. trade package involving Giants
Thomas and Nabers played together for three years at LSU, and they were pretty awesome. The thought of franchise quarterback Jaxson Dart having those two to throw to would be something special. But it's unclear what it would cost Big Blue to acquire the 6-foot-2, 210-pounder.
Black & Teal's Dallas Glenn put together a trade proposal for New York to land BTJ, and let’s just say Giants fans will have something to say about how unsexy it is:
"Recently, it was floated that Brian Thomas Jr. could get traded to the New York Giants in a deal that would be a win-win for both squads. ... For Jacksonville, the prospective deal could net them a great second-round pick or a proven player who addresses a glaring weakness on the roster.
As the Giants enter a new era, there's a three-time Pro Bowler on their defense who might benefit from a change of scenery. ... This is where Dexter Lawrence comes in. The 29-year-old defensive tackle is expected to be a $26.96 million cap hit for the Giants. As John Harbaugh prepares to establish his culture and lay the foundation for the future, he might not be too high on dedicating this much space to an aging interior defender."
Not. Sexy. Dexy.
Suggesting the Giants move Dexter Lawrence would probably cause a full-blown meltdown across Big Blue Nation. The three-time Pro Bowler has been the backbone of this defense for years and is widely considered one of the best interior defensive linemen in football. There's just no way John Harbaugh will look to offset Sexy Dexy in his first year in East Rutherford.
The 63-year-old all but admitted he's going nowhere earlier this offseason.
That said, the idea does peel the curtain back on the type of offer it might actually take to pry Thomas Jr. away from Jacksonville. If the G-Men truly want to reunite BTJ with Malik Nabers, they might have to wait until the price point goes down to something a bit more reasonable.