Jaguars Must Come to Terms With Brian Thomas Jr.'s Future While They Still Can

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Brian Thomas Jr. can has been kicked down the road for the Jacksonville Jaguars for too long, and it is time they come to terms with it.

That is amongst the clearest takeaways facing the franchise after their 35-6 destruction of the New England Patriots in Week 3. For as talented as Thomas is, Sunday's game proved once and for all that the Jaguars and Thomas are going in different directions, and a change must be made sooner than later.

brian thomas everbank — Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) is introduced before an NFL football matchup at EverBank Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026, in Jacksonville, Fla. The Jaguars defeated the Patriots 35-6. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times‑Union] | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

BTJ's Future

On a day when the Jaguars scored 35 points and had five different players reach the end-zone, Thomas was thrown to only once: an eight yard completion in the first-half. It was only the second game in Thomas' career where he only recorded one catch, and the first was in Week 1 of the 2025 season.

The lack of Thomas in the game-plan went far beyond just the lack of volume targets, which has been a trend for Thomas since the second half of last year. After averaging around 6.85 targets per game in the first seven games last season (pre-Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington's ascension), Thomas averaged 5.14 targets over his final seven games of the 2025 season. This year, he is averaging just 4.33 targets per game, a number that is inflated by him getting nine targets against the Denver Broncos in Week 2.

So, Thomas is getting targeted less. With Meyers on a big deal and Washington stepping up as the team's WR1, that is understandable. But he is still playing a key role, right? Well, not quite.

Thomas only played 23 snaps and ran 13 routes against the Patriots in Week 3. This can not be merely excused away as the Jaguars getting up on the Patriots early, either, since Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington each played 50 snaps and ran 27 and 28 routes, respectively. At the same time, Jaguars sixth-round rookie receiver Josh Cameron played 23 snaps -- the same as Thomas -- and saw more targets despite running five fewer routes.

Jaguars head coach Liam Coen was asked if the usage of the two receivers was a way to send a message after Thomas' rough game against the Denver Broncos in Week 2. He said it wasn't, and instead offered up the idea that Thomas played less in part due to the Jaguars going with more 12 personnel looks, which meant a receiver had to come off the field.

“We weren't necessarily sending any message," Coen said Monday. "We were playing in a little bit more 12 and also some of the things that we had Josh on specifically were things that we felt good about him doing within a role that he has."

The issue, of course, is that this isn't a one-week blip. There is highly unlikely to be anything other than a direct correlation between Thomas dealing with drops in Week 2 and Cameron getting more reps in Week 3 as a result. And if it was because the Jaguars are going with more 12 personnel, well, that still means Thomas won't have a big role.

It is clear the Jaguars see Washington and Meyers as their two 12 personnel receivers, and the Jaguars currently rank No. 3 in the NFL in 12 personnel usage at 30.99%. This is quite a leap from when the Jaguars ran it on just 18.48% of plays in 2025, meaning there are simply less snaps for the receivers to go around.

Less snaps to begin with means Thomas was set to be, at best, the Jaguars' third option at wide receiver. With Cameron getting more and more reps, it stands to reason Thomas could quickly become the fourth option instead. A steep fall from his record-breaking rookie season, but also one that the Jaguars seem to be telegraphing.

"We are 100%, we need all these guys. We need BT to continue to ascend and there wasn't any real message. It was just we all got to do our part and that's on us as coaches too," Coen said Monday.

"We are 100% going to need BT to make plays down the field and continue to ascend and make contested catches and do the things that he does really well. And that's on us as a staff to continue to put him in those positions, and he's going to make a ton of plays for us this year, I have no doubt in my mind.”

Through the first 20 games of the Coen era, the Jaguars have proven that they and Thomas are simply not a fit. He is too talented of a player to be playing so few snaps and such a small role, something other NFL teams are sure to recognize.

Thomas gives the Jaguars value in terms of depth, of course. If anything ever happened to Washington or Meyers, the Jaguars would likely be thrilled to still have Thomas on their roster. But is that kind of depth worth more than the potential high draft pick the Jaguars could nab for Thomas by the trade deadline?

Thomas' value was likely as high as it ever will be this past offseason, when the Jaguars passed on moving him. But that was before they drafted Cameron, who has exceeded any and all expectations. His value will only go down throughout the season at this rate, which means the Jaguars must make the tough decision and come to terms with his future sooner rather than later.

Thomas is a good player, and the Jaguars are a good team. But through three weeks, and really the last two seasons, it seems like a new start would be best for both parties.

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