On a day in which the Jacksonville Jaguars saw two-way star Travis Hunter register his first career touchdown in the NFL, wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. struggled. This wouldn't be an issue if this had been a one-time deal. However, the former LSU Tiger has struggled with drops throughout the year, and the issue once again surfaced in the 35-7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams.
Thomas was underwhelming against the Rams, hauling in three receptions for 31 yards on seven targets. Sure, Trevor Lawrence wasn't always on point, but his statline would've looked much better if his receivers had done a better job of catching the football.
Some of the blame most definitely falls on Thomas' shoulders.
Brian Thomas Jr. was a non-factor for the Jaguars in the loss to the Rams
Following the loss, head coach Liam Coen met with the local media and made it clear that Brian Thomas Jr. must do a better job of catching the ball, something he's failed to do this season.
"We obviously need to make sure that we're in a position, with our hands, with our violent to the tuck," Coen said told the press. "With the way we're looking the ball in, you know, and also, ball placement, making sure the ball is in the right spots, and not, you know, all that stuff. I think there's a combination of things. Still, we got to keep throwing it now. I mean, we can't go running it, running it, running it. So that's just the way it goes."
Thomas gives the offense an element of verticality. However, he struggles when he has to reel in passes in traffic in the middle of the field.
Brian Thomas no puede dropar eso, le cae de las manos antes del hit de Kinchens. Thomas tiene un 14.3 de Drop rate antes de este partido(vía PFF). Abrimos melón?. pic.twitter.com/z4yWL2Wqck
— Jorge (@JEduFernandez) October 19, 2025
As you can see, Thomas is already turning his head before he secures the pass. He had a similar drop in the loss to the Seahawks.
The Jaguars need to work with Brian Thomas Jr. to cut down on the drops
In total, Brian Thomas Jr. was credited with two drops against the Los Angeles Rams. He already has six for the season. That's as many as he had as a rookie. The issue has suddenly become a reason for concern. How can the Jaguars feed him the ball if he won't make the most out of his chances?
The fact that Parker Washington and Travis Hunter and faring better makes Thomas' struggles look even worse. The silver lining is that the Jaguars are about to have their BYE week, so they can work with him to fix the issue.
While Brian Thomas Jr. has flashed at times in 2025, he's certainly left much to be desired. Expected to pick up where he left off after his impressive rookie season, he's instead struggled, and if he doesn't bounce back, the Jaguars will have no choice but to decrease his role.