This was supposed to be a season of redemption for Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

After a horribly disappointing 2025 season followed Thomas' star-making rookie season, everything pointed to the 23-year-old getting his groove back this year.

Throughout the offseason, BTJ looked terrific. The Jaguars never lost faith in him. The team turned down significant trade offers for Thomas, and head coach Liam Coen publicly praised him for the improvements he made. 

Unfortunately, those improvements have yet to show up on the field. 

In Week 1, Thomas had a very pedestrian three catches for 40 yards and was not one of the four pass catchers to catch a touchdown from  quarterback Trevor Lawrence. 

The following week, in Jacksonville’s loss to Denver, BTJ repeated his 3-for-40 stat line but struggled with drops, which was a huge problem for him last season. One of his drops came late, with the offense trying to respond to the Broncos’ late comeback. The game’s outcome may have been different had Thomas made that catch. 

It appears that BTJ is starting to lose the trust of his coaches. In Jacksonville’s Week 3 demolition of the New England Patriots, Thomas had his playing time significantly reduced. In fact, Thomas was kept on the sideline for the entirety of the team’s opening drive. He was replaced by sixth-round rookie Josh Cameron. 

For the game, Thomas saw the field for only 23 plays, finishing with a single catch for eight yards. 

Against New England, the entire offense thrived while Thomas struggled, much like last season, when the entire offense made tremendous strides forward while BTJ took a huge step backwards. 

Now the questions are: How will Thomas respond after having his playing time significantly reduced? And is it time for the Jaguars to move on?

Now that Thomas has seen his issues lead to actual consequences, how will he respond? 

Unfortunately, Thomas doesn’t have a great track record when it comes to dealing with adversity on the field. 

During his disappointing 2025 season, Thomas was called out by fans for his negative body language and accused of being hesitant when running across the middle. 

Instead of finding a way to overcome his struggles, BTJ had them worsen as the season progressed, and he didn’t seem to be in the right mental state to fix them. 

Will things be any different now? Thomas spoke this offseason about how the Jaguars' continued faith in him helped him regain his confidence. 

Will the decrease in playing time shatter that confidence? Or will he dig deep and prove his standout rookie year wasn’t a fluke?

It could go either way. 

Thomas is an incredibly talented WR and has shown he can be the top option for any team’s passing game. 

Unfortunately for Thomas, his issues have caused him to drop below both Parker Washington and Jakobi Meyers on the food chain. 

Even without Thomas, Jacksonville has a loaded group of receivers. Washington has become a star over the last year. Meyers is as consistent and reliable as anyone could hope for in a WR2. 

The Jaguars are also very high on rookie Cameron, who has looked good in limited opportunities. Is he ready for a bigger role if the team decides to move on from Thomas?

Another sixth-round rookie, CJ Williams, also has promise. Though he has been inactive on game day, Williams looked good in camp and could contribute right now if needed. 

And don’t forget about Travis Hunter. Though he has hardly been used on offense this season, Hunter has the talent to become an elite wide receiver. 

If there is still a market for BTJ, the Jaguars would be wise to explore it. The team has its weaknesses, especially along the interior of the defensive line. If Jacksonville could flip Thomas for a quality defensive lineman, it may benefit the team greatly. 

Trading Thomas would still leave the Jaguars with a strength at WR. Trading from a strength to improve a weakness is something the organization needs to consider, especially when you factor in that a decision about Thomas’ future with the club must be made in the next year, whether it’s exercising his fifth-year option or signing him to an extension. 

This isn’t what the Jaguars were hoping or expecting from Thomas this season. Only three games in, the issues and questions about the talented WR have  been brought to the forefront once again. 

Jacksonville has a tough decision to make. Would the team be better off moving BTJ for help elsewhere? 

Thomas could prove his worth by stepping up after his reduction in playing time. If he excels over the next few games, he can show the team he has moved past his issues and should still be a big part of the club’s future. 

If he continues to struggle with drops, remains unproductive, and doesn’t earn back his snaps, the Jaguars should try to trade him while he still has value.