The Buffalo Bills often came close to a Super Bowl appearance under Sean McDermott. Unlocking Josh Allen‘s elite level of performance as an NFL MVP certainly helped. Yet, despite seven consecutive playoff appearances, the Bills weren’t able to reach the promised land, leading to McDermott’s dismissal after nine seasons as head coach.

Now the Bills are moving forward with a new leadership group, beginning with the recently promoted Brandon Beane and first-year head coach Joe Brady, who was promoted from offensive coordinator. One of the top items on Buffalo’s agenda should be to strengthen the team’s receiving corps, which was apparently something McDermott would have liked to see too.

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Recently, ESPN’s NFL analysts Dan Graziano and Ben Solak came up with a list of the best 15 players who could hit the trade block this offseason. While doing so, they named Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. as a potential trade candidate. Yet, while listing the teams that Thomas could be a trade fit for, they listed the Bills, in addition to the Patriots, Steelers, and Raiders.

“A first-round pick two years ago by the previous Jaguars administration, Thomas struggled enough throughout his second season that the team needed to trade for Jakobi Meyers at the deadline then signed him to a long-term deal. The Jaguars also got an impressive season out of Parker Washington. And while the new plan for Travis Hunter might be to focus on the cornerback position, Jacksonville still expects him to contribute something as a wide receiver.

There has been no indication that trading Thomas is something the Jaguars are planning, but there are teams monitoring the situation in case the hypertalented LSU product has fallen far enough down the Jacksonville depth chart that the front office would consider a move.”

ESPN on Brian Thomas

If the Bills are willing to part with some valuable draft picks (likely nothing less than a second-round pick plus change), then perhaps they can pluck Thomas out of Jacksonville. He’d seemingly fit the archtype for the receiver the Bills were seeking when selecting Keon Coleman with the 33rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Coleman is 6-foot-4, 215 pounds, but the 22-year-old has only compiled 67 receptions for 960 yards and 8 touchdowns in two seasons in Buffalo. Meanwhile, Thomas is 6-foot-2, 209 pounds and the 23-year-old has compiled 135 receptions for 1,989 yards and 12 touchdowns since becoming the 23rd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

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