The Jacksonville Jaguars were already without wide receiver Jakobi Meyers ahead of the joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. They couldn't afford to lose another receiver, which is why everyone held their breath when Brian Thomas Jr. suffered a shoulder injury.
Thomas reeled in a 40-yard grab from Trevor Lawrence but got hurt in the play. Juston W. Lewis of The Florida Times-Union reported that the 2024 first-round pick was on the sidelines grabbing his shoulder and didn't return to practice.
The good news is that the injury doesn't appear to be serious based on the injury head coach Liam Coen provided in the aftermath of the practice.
The Jaguars may not be without Brian Thomas Jr. for long
Liam Coen met with reporters after the joint practice with the Buccaneers. He said that Brian Thomas Jr. is fine and will be ready for the season opener, noting that the team is just being cautious.
I think he's all right. I mean, just came down on his shoulder," Coen told reporters (1:01). "I think we're just holding him out with smart, keep him out, and then get him for Cleveland."
Thomas dealt with ankle and hand injuries last year but managed to stay healthy throughout the offseason program and training camp. Holding him out to ensure he's a full go for the regular season is the best course of action, especially when you take into account that Jakobi Meyers has a cast on his hand and is currently unavailable after getting hurt in the joint practice with the Carolina Panthers.
During Meyers' absence, rookie CJ Williams and Josh Cameron have gotten plenty of reps. If Thomas were to miss time, their workload would increase potentially. Simiarly, Travis Hunter could have an expanded role on offense.
Having said that, it seems like Jacksonville will have Meyers and Thomas for the season opener against the Cleveland Browns.
Related: 5 winners from the Jags joint practice with the Buccaneers
The Jaguars need Brian Thomas Jr. to bounce back in 2026
Although Brian Thomas Jr. appears to be WR3 on the depth chart, he will still have a big role next season. Parker Washington will tentatively be the No. 1 target, and Jakobi Meyers is as sure-handed as they come, but Brian Thomas Jr. possesses deep-threat capabilities no other receiver on the team has.
Sure, Thomas is coming off a disapointing season in which he was plagued with drops. The fact that he dealt with injuries didn't help matters. However, No. 7 has been putting in the work to put his struggles behind and remind everyone he's still the player that shook up the NFL as a rookie in 2024.
Brian Thomas Jr. may not be able to reach the 1,000-yard like he did as a rookie, but that won't make him any less important. This is why it makes sense for the Jaguars to ensure that he's at full strength for the start of the season.
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