It is no secret that the New England Patriots desperately need help on the offensive side of the ball. They lack explosiveness, weapons that actually threaten a defense, and it’s clear Drake Maye is in a slump. It could be due to a lack of confidence in receivers getting open, and until A.J. Brown returns, the Patriots need a serious jump-start.
According to ESPN’s Dan Graziano, there have been multiple teams around the league investigating the availability of Jacksonville Jaguars receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
"Teams are curious to see what, if anything, the Jaguars plan to do with 2024 first-round wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. ... the team has clearly moved toward Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers as the top passing-game targets for Trevor Lawrence, and while they're using Travis Hunter almost exclusively on defense, they have not given up plans for him to contribute on offense in some way this season," Graziano wrote.
BTJ was one of the best receivers in the league as a rookie, but since then, his production has fallen off a cliff. Could a change of scenery and a new scheme help the Jaguars playmaker get back on track? Let’s explore what BTJ in a Patriots uniform could look like.
The Patriots desperately need an explosive weapon
It’s obvious the Patriots didn’t have a backup plan for Brown. Week after week, there is no separation among the current receivers; there is no threat of a big play, and Drake Maye has nobody he can count on for big plays.
With the uncertainty of the three-time All-Pro receiver coming back from injury, New England should 100% be exploring a trade for Thomas. Not only would it add some serious juice to the offense, but it could be massive for Maye’s confidence. He will have a downfield threat that he can take a few shots at each game, and all it takes is one completion to get that swagger back.
BTJ was one of the most explosive receivers in the league as a rookie, and it looked like he was going to be a number one weapon for a long time. After a down season last year and a rocky start to this season, getting him into a new offense could bring him back to life, and that is exactly what New England needs, especially until Brown comes back.
What would the Patriots' offense look like with A.J. Brown and BTJ?
The Patriots could use a weapon like BTJ immediately because of the absence of Brown. However, what could things look like when Brown returns if they land BTJ?
Brown would be able to step back into his role as the team’s true number one weapon, which would allow BTJ to be the number two. This could be ideal for the speed, route running, and big-play ability of Thomas. Teams would be so concerned with covering Brown that it would allow much more favorable matchups for Thomas, and we could see Maye’s deep ball efficiency skyrocket. Not to mention the momentum swing caused by huge gains and big-time plays.
Giving Maye not only one, but two explosive weapons, could be exactly what he needs to get his juice back. It seems like the franchise quarterback has been playing scared and doesn’t want to mess up. Opening up the entire offense with two elite weapons is exactly what should be done for the MVP runner-up.
Could Brian Thomas Jr. get back to his old self in New England?
Coming out of college and as a rookie in Jacksonville, it looked like Thomas was just another stud receiver out of LSU. After multiple down seasons, there’s speculation that it could be the new scheme of Jaguars head coach Liam Coen that has slowed the production of BTJ.
If that’s the case, the Patriots should be all over trying to get the old version of Thomas back. BTJ is only 23 years old, which is absolutely wild to think about. Obviously, he hasn’t lost his speed and explosiveness at his young age, and he hasn’t even hit his prime yet.
Give your franchise quarterback a big-play receiver that he can grow and develop with for years to come, while hopefully giving him his confidence back, and adding a weapon that can actually get open.
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