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| Thomas had 13 catches for 80 yards this season for the Jags. (US Presswire) |
In the biggest move (OK, the only move so far) ahead of Thursday's NFL trade deadline, the Lions have acquired wide receiver Mike Thomas from the Jaguars. A league source tells CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora that the Lions gave up a 2014 5th-round pick for Thomas.
Clearly, Jacksonville didn't think enough of Thomas' production (13 catches, 80 yards) and his salary (the Jags gave him an $18 million extension with $9 million in guarantees last October) to keep him around. And now he'll join the Lions, who lost Nate Burleson for the year with a broken leg.
For the Jags, the offseason plan was to surround second-year quarterback Blaine Gabbert with a cadre of competent pass catchers. So far, the experiment has been a failure. First-round pick Justin Blackmon doesn't yet look comfortable in the NFL, and big-money free agent Laurent Robinson has just nine catches after suffering a concussion last month.
The decision to ship Thomas to Detroit was made easier by the emergence of Cecil Shorts, the team's leading receiver. Through seven games, Shorts has 20 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns.
The Lions, meanwhile, are still active on trade market and hope to land a safety, according to La Canfora.
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