Brian Thomas Jr. struggles raise an ugly pattern that follows Jaguars’ coach, including ex-WR comment

Shane Waldron concerns raised yet again after latest wide receiver struggles

Shane Waldron was hired as the offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason to work under head coach Liam Coen in his first season in charge.

That meant yet another new offensive coordinator for Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars offense, and so far the move hasn’t landed well with the team’s biggest playmakers.

Brian Thomas Jr. is having a nightmare start to his 2025 season, after being one of the league’s most impressive breakout players last year. The rookie caught just one pass for 11 yards in Week 1, and while he caught four passes for 49 yards in Week 2, something looked off.

Week 3 was more of the same, with Thomas Jr. collecting two passes for 55 yards. He had one major play for a 46-yard gain, but that was about all he was able to contribute in the 17-10 win over the Houston Texans.

The Jaguars have also come under fire for the way they’re utilizing Travis Hunter after trading a haul of picks to acquire him. Through three games, Hunter has 76 total receiving yards, and only had one catch in the win over Houston.

Fans have started to point out that offensive coordinator Shane Waldron might be the problem, and there’s certainly cause to believe that might be the case.

One fantasy football analyst said:

“First, Shane Waldron ruined Jaxon Smith-Njigba’s rookie season… …then Rome Odunze’s… …and now Travis Hunter’s.”

Shane Waldron was the offensive coordinator with the Seattle Seahawks when Jaxon Smith-Njigba was drafted in 2023. As a rookie, Smith-Njigba caught 63 passes for 628 yards and four touchdowns, but in the year after Waldron left, he exploded to 100 catches for 1,130 receiving yards and six TDs.

Waldron had left Seattle to take the offensive coordinator role with the Chicago Bears. He is the offensive coordinator who was responsible for neglecting Caleb Williams as a rookie, and wide receiver Rome Odunze had an underwhelming rookie season, too, just like Smith-Njigba did.

In 2025, Rome Odunze has caught more touchdowns in three weeks than he did in his entire rookie season. The second-year star seems primed for a breakout season, having now collected 16 passes for 227 yards and four touchdowns in just three games to start the year.

The pattern seems clear. Brian Thomas Jr. is going backwards, and rookie Travis Hunter is struggling to have an impact within the Jaguars’ offense.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba was asked about Shane Waldron when the Chicago Bears hired him, and gave a very awkward response. The Seahawks wide receiver seemed to struggle to offer a compliment, and his eventual response started with, “Good luck to y’all…”

Jaguars offense is moving the football, but the stars are not involved

The Jacksonville Jaguars’ offense has had an odd start to the 2025 season. They’re moving the football, and are currently ranked inside the top ten in total offensive yardage per game.

Liam Coen’s offense in Tampa Bay was incredibly prolific in running the football last season, and we’re already seeing that with the resurgence of Travis Etienne in Jacksonville.

While the pass game is also somewhat successful, it’s inconsistent, and the target share to receptions numbers are mind-boggling.

Brian Thomas Jr. leads the team with 24 targets, but has just seven catches. He looks off on the field, something that Coen attributed to a wrist injury after a concerning Week 2 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Tight end Brenton Strange is then tied second in targets, along with Travis Hunter. Strange has 137 receiving yards, while Hunter’s usage on short yardage means he only has 76 yards.

Parker Washington and Dyami Brown have both been heavily involved, and in Week 2, it was those two collecting receptions over both Thomas and Hunter.

Fans are concerned that the game plan in Jacksonville is skewed once again, something they dealt with endlessly while Press Taylor was running the offense under Doug Pederson.