There are so many things to be happy about when discussing the Jacksonville Jaguars: Trevor Lawrence is playing his best football ever, the franchise just secured its first 10-win season since 2017, and Liam Coen is looking like a legitimate candidate for Coach of the Year in the entire league.
On the other hand, there's one development that keeps becoming more disappointing as the season goes on.
During one of the few snaps he got against the New York Jets in Week 15, wide receiver Dyami Brown fumbled the ball away and gave New York its best starting field position of the afternoon. CBS Sports' stat department claims that Brown only got five snaps throughout the entire game; and his inability to make the most of them shows that his days in Jacksonville could be numbered.
Dyami Brown's dwindling snap count proves that the Jaguars are working around him
Dyami Brown's limited presence against the Jets was the continuation of a sobering trend. When he first arrived, the Jags had huge plans for the former Washington Commander. The $10-million payday from his one-year deal simultaneously communicated that Dyami had to prove himself to Liam Coen and the new coaching staff but would be compensated fairly for the productive playoff run he had with his former team.
Unfortunately, the former third-round pick hasn't been able to live up to the expectations James Gladstone set for him once they came to an agreement.
After Travis Hunter went down with what would eventually be confirmed as a season-ending injury, a door was opened for Brown to establish himself as a reliable second, or even first option for the Jaguars to rely on moving forward. Second-year wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. was in the midst of an inexplicable sophomore slump that had everyone from die-hard fans to legacy outlets calling for him to get his act together. Jacksonville's new No. 5 could've been the answer that was already in the room, but his failure to answer the call forced the team's front office to look elsewhere.
At the trade deadline, the Jaguars made a season-saving move and acquired Jakobi Meyers from the Las Vegas Raiders. Meyers' consistency as a possession-style receiver has given Liam Coen's offense the multi-dimensional threat needed to keep defenses on their toes. Duval's schematic world should have been Brown's figurative oyster, but it seems that it just wasn't meant to be.
What will Dyami Brown do now as his role on the Jaguars continues to shrink?
If you're looking for a positive way to look at this situation, I've got something for you. The development of Brown's reputation as an emerging star in the league began during the Commanders' Wild Card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Against the Bucs, the wideout racked up five receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown.
While that box score may not amaze you at first, one of those receptions included a clutch catch that put Washington in position to kick their game-winning field goal.
At this rate, it's clear that the Jaguars aren't looking for Brown to be their leading receiver anymore. However, the team's banged-up, young, and inconsistent wide receiver room shouldn't give the coaches enough confidence to completely ice him out of their game-day rotations.
Whether the new regime likes it or not, Dyami Brown should get the opportunities needed to prove he can develop into a reliable professional receiver. Extending his contract after the final clock shows four zeroes is another matter entirely, but the team must remain open to keeping the receiver rotation as diverse as possible the remainder of this season.