Brian Thomas Jr.'s availability puts the Jaguars in a concerning spot vs. Eagles

The Jacksonville Jaguars lost to the Green Bay Packers in Week 8, and things aren't getting any better in the aftermath. After finding out that wide receiver Christian Kirk will miss the remainder of the season, they got the news that Brian Thomas is dealing with a rib injury. That doesn't bode well for his status against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 9.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Thomas will have an MRI on his ribs to determine his status for Week 9. The rookie receiver was on the sideline late in the loss to the Packers.

Update: Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reports Brian Thomas Jr. could miss two to four weeks with a chest injury.

Before Thomas left the contest, he hauled in three receptions for 60 yards. He also contributed with a 14-yard touchdown reception.

Thomas, a first-round pick in this year's draft, entered Week 5 with 30 receptions for 513 yards with four touchdowns. He's currently on pace to cross the 1,000-yard mark and has an outside shot to earn Offensive Rookie of the Year honors. The former LSU Tiger has been a bright spot in what's otherwise been a disappointing campaign for the Jags.

Apart from Thomas and Kirk, Gabe Davis left Week 9 with a shoulder injury, so Jacksonville could indeed be short-handed at receiver against Philadelphia. That will make an already complicated road to the playoffs even more challenging.

Currently, the Jags are 2-6 and on the outside looking in. The Houston Texans lead the division with a 6-2 record and the Indianapolis Colts are second at 4-4. It's hard to see Jacksonville catching up to either team.

The Jaguars surely hope Brian Thomas Jr. is available vs. the Eagles

The silver lining of losing Christian Kirk is that the Jaguars have a capable replacement in Parker Washington, who stepped in his place as soon as he got hurt. A fifth-round pick in last year's draft, the former Penn State Nittany Lion has flashed playmaking skills when given a chance. Already, he was substituting Devin Duvernay as the team's main return specialist and will next see an uptick in playing time on offense.

Whereas Washington can fill in for Kirk, the Jaguars don't have anyone who can step in Brian Thomas Jr.'s shoes. Tim Jones replaced him in the lineup but he's a steep downgrade. The former Mississippi State Golden Eagle is an asset on special teams and an outstanding blocker but he's not the kind of player opposing teams spend days game-planning for.

One possibility would be to employ two tight-end sets more often. Jacksonville has a couple of good ones in Brenton Strange and Evan Engram. In fact, both of them came up clutch on the drive that tied the game. The former had a 35-yard grab and the latter had two, including a 14-yard touchdown reception that he managed to reel in despite the fact that he was facing stiff coverage.

But as dependable as Strange, Engram, and Washington have been, not having Brian Thomas Jr. in the fold would be a brutal hit for a Jacksonville Jaguars team that's quickly losing grasp of the season.

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