Two-way star Travis Hunter has rightly been the talk of the town, but fellow teammate Brian Thomas Jr. hasn't particularly been an afterthought. In fact, the sophomore receiver has been compared to the likes of Justin Jefferson and Ja'Marr Chase. That's how much of a game-changer he's been. But aside from giving the Jacksonville Jaguars a franchise building block, he's giving them lots of bang for their buck.
Cody Benjamin of CBS Sports put together an All-Bargain NFL team using an imaginary $139.6 salary cap and included Thomas, pointing out that the second-year receiver was one of Jacksonville's few bright spots in 2024 and is poised to be even better next season.
"The Jaguars were mostly a trainwreck in 2024, but Thomas transcended the offense as a first-year starter, eclipsing 1,200 yards and reeling in 10 touchdowns as the sole reliable weapon in their pass game," Benjamin wrote. "His numbers may dip with the arrival of Travis Hunter, but they may also improve, given defenses will need to account for both field-stretches. Either way, he's due to keep outperforming his rookie contract."
The fourth receiver taken in last year's draft, Thomas proved to be the best of the bunch, making the Pro Bowl as an alternate and finishing fourth in voting for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. It's also worth noting that the former LSU Tiger showed his big-play capability early in the season, but it wasn't until Week 13 that he had double-digit targets.
This is a long-winded way to say that Thomas has yet to reach his potential, and he should be able to unlock it with Hunter drawing coverage away from him and Trevor Lawrence back at quarterback.
Why Brian Thomas Jr. gives the Jaguars lots of value
Brian Thomas Jr. has a cap hit of $3.3 million in 2025. It doesn't even crack the top 20 with the Jacksonville Jaguars in terms of space. And his affordable salary is one of the reasons they're in great cap shape.
The Jags have most of their prominent players under contract through 2026. Right now, the only one they probably have to start making plans for is 2022 first-round pick Travon Walker, who's eligible for a new deal. But aside from him, they don't have many tough decisions. Sure, running back Travis Etienne and linebacker Devin Lloyd are entering contract years, but Jacksonville may decide what to do with both until next year (if they aren't traded).
Meanwhile, the earliest Thomas can get an extension will be 2027, giving the Jaguars ample cap flexibility, which they can use to either fill holes in free agency or pay their own players. Of course, it all becomes moot if Jacksonville doesn't take advantage of its star receiver's affordable salary.
It's not often that you can have a game-changer at a low salary, but the Jaguars have an electrifying pair of receivers at a budget-friendly rate. The best thing they can do is to maximize that window to win games before they have to give Brian Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter extensions that reflect their status as the best receivers in the NFL.
Sure, Hunter has yet to play a down in the NFL, and Thomas has suited up for just one season, but the Jags had better start to save money if both of them meet expectations.