Steelers Urged by Former Super Bowl Champion to Make One Specific Blockbuster Trade

Former Steelers Super Bowl champion Trai Essex wants Pittsburgh to trade for Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. Could a second-round pick get the deal done?

by Jobe Morrison

Oct 21, 2026

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) celebrates a touchdown catch in the second quarter of the NFL Week 4 game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Jacksonville Jaguars at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2026.

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers may or may not be active at the trade deadline. If they win their next two games, they’ll likely lean more toward buying than trading away players on their roster. Head coach Mike McCarthy prefers to elevate players already on his roster rather than look outside the organization, but general manager Omar Khan has made multiple trade-deadline moves during his tenure. One former Steelers Super Bowl champion believes there’s one move Pittsburgh needs to make: trade for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Trai Essex took to X to urge the Steelers to make the move. Although Thomas hasn’t matched the production of his phenomenal rookie season, Essex believes the wide receiver can regain that form with a fresh start.

“Brian Thomas Jr. needs to be a Steeler. Not sure why he fell out of favor down in JAX but I don’t think that rookie year was an anomaly,” Essex wrote on X.

What Would the Cost of Trading for Brian Thomas Jr. Be?

Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thomas has become something of a mystery. After a stellar rookie season in which he recorded 87 catches for more than 1,200 yards and 10 touchdowns, his production has taken a significant hit. In fact, he hasn’t recorded a reception since Oct. 4, when he scored a touchdown. After his receiving yardage dipped to 707 in 2025, he is now on pace to finish this season with fewer than 300 receiving yards.

That raises another question: What is going on? Is it a scheme-fit issue? Is there a problem with his relationship with his quarterback, head coach or both? Thomas’ decline has been bizarre to watch, especially for a former first-round pick. His talent hasn’t disappeared, and he hasn’t suffered any major injuries that would explain the drop-off. That leaves potential trade partners with one major question: What is Thomas worth?

With a year and a half of control remaining on his rookie contract, any team that acquires Thomas won’t have much time before deciding on his long-term future. The team could exercise his fifth-year option, but that would require another significant decision by next offseason.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) hauls in a reception against New York Jets cornerback Brandon Stephens (21) during the third quarter of a NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium, Sunday, Dec. 14, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Jets 48-20. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

The gamble could pay off in a big way, but it could also backfire. Given the uncertainty surrounding Thomas’ production, a first-round pick would seem like too steep a price to pay.

That leaves a second-round pick as a potential ceiling for his trade value. A desperate team might be willing to meet that asking price, and the Steelers happen to have three second-round picks over the next two drafts.

Could Pittsburgh send the second-round pick it acquired for Joey Porter Jr. to Jacksonville in exchange for Thomas and a late-round pick? That seems like a plausible scenario if the Steelers decide to pull the trigger and win the bidding war.