Can the Jaguars Get Their Star Playmaker Back in the Mix on Offense?

After back-to-back weeks of minimal usage of Brian Thomas Jr., can the Jacksonville Jaguars get back on track vs. the Detroit Lions.

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) rushes for yards against Indianapolis Colts cornerback Jaylon Jones (40) during the fourth quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. The play was called back on a offensive facemask penalty. The Jaguars edged the Colts on a field goal 37-34. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union] / Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Have you seen Brian Thomas Jr.?

Over the last two weeks, the Jacksonville Jaguars' star rookie receiver has gone missing. Not due to a lack of trying on the No. 1 receiver's part, but due to the Jaguars failing to get him involved in the game plan and throughout the course of a game.

In Week 9 against the Philadelphia Eagles, Thomas saw just four targets despite no Christian Kirk or Gabe Davis in the lineup. Then in Week 10, Thomas was only targetted three times, with the first target coming late in the third-quarter.

While the Jaguars have dealt with injury issues at quarterbacks and a lack of plays -- they are averaging just 47 offensive plays run in the last two games -- their inability to get their best playmaker involved has been befuddling at best.

"I think you can put him in stacks, bunches. You can move them around the formation a little bit, do some things that way. The only downside to it is the offense has to be stationary at the snap so defense can still move and get lined up as well," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Wednesday.

"So do the best we can to move him around the formation, and then on Brian to obviously know that he's going to be doubled at times. He's just going to have to work to get himself free.”

In short, it sounds like Pederson is saying these are the cards the Jaguars and Thomas have been dealt. Now, they need to make it work. Teams and defenses know how dangerous the No. 23 pick is, and there is no more hiding him away from the focus of secondaries.

Now, the onus will be on backup quarterback Mac Jones to get his top target the ball.

“Yeah, I think you just can't chase it. You’ve just got to distribute the ball whether it's a handoff or throw or quarterback run, whatever that may be. I mean you’ve got to distribute the ball, and my job is to get it to the open guy and do that on a consistent basis," Jones said on Wednesday.

"I feel like BT's an awesome player. He's done a great job in his rookie season. I've been a rookie. It's tough. There's a lot of information coming at you, but he's done a great job, and I definitely want to get him the ball and just stick to my keys as well and get him going and get the whole team going. I think really as the game goes along, if you're moving the ball well everyone's getting it. It's just sometimes tough in the last couple of weeks just not having as many plays and trying to get into that rhythm, so we're definitely trying to find that.”

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