The Cleveland Browns enter the 2026 NFL Draft with a glaring need at wide receiver. They need playmakers, and even if they haven't given up on Jerry Jeudy, the rest of the wide receiver room is either injury-prone, unproven, or both.
That's why, instead of rolling the dice on another first-year player, GM Andrew Berry might follow his manuel again. He could try to acquire a disgruntled or out-of-favor wide receiver — just like Brian Thomas Jr.
As much as the Jacksonville Jaguars have said all the right things about wanting to keep the LSU product in town, Gary Davenport of Bleacher Report believes that the Browns could change their minds by offering the No. 24 overall pick in this year's draft along with a fourth-round sweetener.
While that makes sense to a degree, it shouldn't be as simple as just pulling the trigger. Is Thomas a good fit? Can he give the team more than another rookie who might be available at No. 24? There's a big case to be made either way.
The Browns could be facing a risky decision involving Brian Thomas Jr.
Starting with the obvious, the Browns would be giving up two picks for a player who's coming off a down season. He's a former first-round selection himself, but his trade value should be lower, not higher.
Thomas went from taking the league by storm as a rookie to losing all confidence in Year 2. Perhaps he wasn't a good fit for Liam Coen's offense, but he went from 87 receptions on 133 targets for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns as a rookie to just 48 catches on 91 targets for 707 yards and two scores last season. He also dropped eight passes.
This class isn't deep at most spots, but there are countless options at wide receiver. Carnell Tate, Makai Lemon, and Jordyn Tyson probably won't be available at No. 24, but the Browns could target Denzel Boston, KC Conception, or Omar Cooper Jr. Granted, Thomas might be more of a playmaker than all of them, but he's also older and two years into his rookie contract.
At this point, it should probably come down to the fit. Todd Monken had an explosive passing game when he was with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Thomas is a big-play specialist and the ultimate speedster. His elite ball-tracking skills were on full display again last season, even if he tried to do too much and dropped passes as a result.
The potential is there, and chances are that he's closer to the playmaker he was in his first year than the more erratic player he was in 2025. Trading for him obviously comes with major risks, but that's also the case with rookies.
There's no simple way to answer this, but Thomas' upside is probably higher than what the Browns could get with any wide receiver at No. 24. They could also double down on the position early in the second round to cover their bases.