Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Liam Coen on Monday shut down speculation that the team is considering trading Brian Thomas Jr., affirming his confidence in the second-year receiver despite his early-season struggles.
“We have no plans to move Brian Thomas,” Coen said. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in him.”
The trade rumors have been fueled by Thomas’s performance, which has been marked by uncharacteristic issues. He is tied for second in the NFL with five dropped passes—one more than he had in his entire 2024 rookie campaign. Observers have also noted instances where Thomas appeared to shy away from contact on potential catches. Despite these challenges, he still leads the Jaguars with 365 receiving yards and ranks second on the team with 27 receptions, just one behind Travis Hunter.
This season’s difficulties stand in stark contrast to his dominant rookie year, when he finished third in the league with 1,282 receiving yards, behind only Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson, and added 10 touchdowns.
The situation also reflects a potential shift in the team’s offensive focus. After being hired in January, Coen stated the passing game would be built around Thomas. However, ahead of the Jaguars’ Week 7 matchup, the head coach acknowledged a need to design more plays with Travis Hunter as the primary target.
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