JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- The Jacksonville Jaguars have some big decisions to make after the bye week, and more than a few center around wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
The former first-round pick is the most embattled member of the roster through the first six weeks of the season, and the question now is what the Jaguars will do with their former No. 1 wide receiver.
So, what are the Jaguars' options with Thomas as they near the end of their bye week? We break down each potential path below, starting with ...
Trade Him
The Jaguars trading Thomas, of course, is the most logical (and to me, probable) scenario for a few reasons. Jacksonville made it clear by benching him against the Texans that they are more or less done with trying to help him out of his slump, and the Jaguars have the depth that would make it possible to unload him in a deal. They didn't have that proven depth this offseason when his value was at its highest, but things have changed since then.
The fact that Marvin Harrison Jr. went for a second and a Day 3 pick swap suggests Thomas could net the Jaguars similar value, and there are several teams that would make sense as landing spots for the former LSU product. Washington Commanders with his college quarterback? A banged-up Los Angeles Rams team that is running short on wide receivers? A Las Vegas Raiders team that has a young quarterback and a middling receiver room?
The possibilities are all there for the Jaguars, and we should know sooner than later whether the Jaguars will be ready to part with the uber-talented Thomas.
Sit Him
Liam Coen set a bit of a precedent with the way he handled Thomas a week ago against the Houston Texans, which brings his post-bye week plans into focus. The Jaguars did not have Thomas play a single snap in the second-half last week against the Texans despite the Jaguars trailing for much of the game. Even with the Jaguars chasing points with a pass-first attack while facing a deficit, the Jaguars prefered to have Travis Hunter, Josh Cameron, or multiple tight ends on the field over Thomas in a key game.
The Jaguars could enter Week 8 against the Indianapolis Colts with the same idea; either making him a healthy scratch or just simply not playing him or playing him in a marginal role. The fact he has no special teams value suggests there is a real scenario he might simply be inactive, but this path would have a few issues for the Jaguars. Namely, it would tank any kind of value Thomas has on the trade market or, at the least, tank any leverage the Jaguars have in trade talks.
If Thomas isn't seeing any playing time, there is no real reason for teams to offer premium picks for his services. His traits and pedigree suggests the Jaguars could still land a second-round pick for him, but that idea likely goes out the window if he doesn't see the field anymore. Still, the Jaguars will have to weigh what is in their best interests to win on each Sunday, which means sitting him might end up being the only real answer.
Let Him Try to Work Through It
This is what the Jaguars have been doing for a while, and it just hasn't worked. Thomas became the clear third-fiddle for the Jaguars in the passing game last season after the Jaguars added Jakobi Meyers: in the six regular-season games Thomas played last year for the Jaguars alongside Meyers, he had one game with a target rate above 20%, compared to four games before Meyers was traded for. He was still playing, but he wasn't seeing the ball thrown his way. After being the undisputed No. 1 entering 2025, he clearly fell down the pecking order.
As a result, it was clear entering the season that Thomas would be a part of the passing game's equation, but far from its clear focus. But after a ho-hum Week 1 where he caught three passes for 40 yards, Thomas has caught three passes for 25 yards and a touchdown on eight targets over the last month. That is less than what Travis Hunter and Josh Cameron have produced in single games this season, and Thomas' playing time didn't really start dipping until this past week against the Texans, sans a reduced role in Week 3.
The Jaguars could still have Thomas on the field and keep trying and hoping that something suddenly clicks. But this path, which is the one of least resistance, has cost the Jaguars some real points and first-down conversions in critical moments this season. Maybe the Jaguars let Thomas try to get his groove back, but this feels unlikely.
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