The Los Angeles Rams entered the 2026 NFL Draft with wide receiver as the most common first-round projection from analysts. Of course, the Rams surprised everyone by selecting quarterback Ty Simpson instead.
While general manager Les Snead did select a tight end in the second round, the Rams waited all the way until the sixth round before targeting a receiver. Sure, the Rams have Puka Nacua and Davante Adams, but both are in the final year of their contracts, and the latter is expected to miss 6 to 10 weeks following surgery for a ruptured hamstring.
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Now, with their receiving corps looking thinner than ever before, the Rams are being urged to target another Pro Bowler before the Nov. 10 trade deadline passes.
Rams Suggested to Trade for Brian Thomas Jr.
Multiple teams, including two from the NFC West, have already made trades. After making a pair of blockbuster trades this past offseason, the Rams have yet to strike again ahead of the deadline.
But now “The Athletic’s” Ted Nguyen is suggesting that trading for Brian Thomas Jr. could help swing the Super Bowl odds back in the Rams’ favor. His idea is for the Rams to send the Jacksonville Jaguars a third-round pick in 2027 and a fifth-round pick in 2028 in exchange for the one-time Pro Bowler.
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“The Rams tried to play it too cute in the draft and live in two timelines, taking quarterback Ty Simpson with the 13th pick when the best option this season would have been a receiver,” Nguyen argues. “Davante Adams is 33 and had hamstring issues last season — it wasn’t hard to predict he would miss games this season. Puka Nacua has had injury and off-field issues.”
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Some might say injuries are unpredictable, but Nguyen clearly isn’t surprised that the Rams are dealing with some trouble at the receiver position. Meanwhile, he believes the Rams can now “rectify that mistake” by circling back and trading for Thomas, whom he feels would be an ideal complementary piece to Nacua in the long run.
“How would KC Concepcion — whom I rated higher than Makai Lemon — look in their offense?” Nguyen asks. “They could rectify that mistake by trading for Thomas Jr. The Jaguars should be much more willing to trade Thomas Jr. to the NFC, rather than an AFC contender. Thomas Jr. would infuse much-needed speed to the offense, while his vertical route tree would complement Nacua, who makes his living in the middle of the field.”
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Nacua had the best PFN WR Impact score among receivers last season at 96.3, and is ranked 10th this season with an 83.5 impact score. They certainly don’t want to do anything that would take away from his ability to dominate a game. However, if the Rams could add someone who could accentuate Nacua and bring out the best of L.A.’s scoring attack? That may be something worth looking into.
Many had the Rams as Super Bowl favorites after adding Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald this offseason, but a 3-4 has put a damper on those talks. Could trading for Thomas give the Rams the momentum they need to get back on track following Adams’ injury?
The 24-year-old has fallen out of favor since becoming the 23rd overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, falling behind Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers in targets. Yet, that doesn’t mean the player who recorded a 1,282-yard, 10-touchdown season as a rookie can’t still live up to his potential; it just might take a change of scenery to reach his ceiling.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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