Nobody will deny that Brian Thomas Jr. left much to be desired in 2025. Expected to build off his impressive rookie season, he instead regressed. However, the Jacksonville Jaguars have made it clear that he isn't going anywhere, even though he's been the subject of trade speculation dating back to last year. In fact, head coach Liam Coen wants the third-year receiver to stretch the field often next season.
For his part, Thomas is doing his best to repay the team's trust, making a strong impression at Organized Team Activities. And one NFL analyst has seen enough of the 2024 first-round pick in practice to believe he's back.
The Jaguars could be getting the "old" Brian Thomas Jr. back
Pete Prisco of CBS Sports made an appearance on 1010 XL and stated that Brian Thomas Jr. looks like his old self, pointing out that he may not have a surge in production, but that will be because the Jaguars are stacked at receiver.
"Well, it sounds like, and again, talking to people up there, it sounds like he's totally bought in, dedicated to the craft, and has looked really good in the offseason, has done everything they've asked for him," Prisco told host Frank Fragie (4:57 mark). "So let's just say it's going to be probably not quite what it was as a rookie, in large part because they had to rely on him, and they don't now, but I don't think it's going to be anything like what it was a year ago.
Prisco continued, "It's going to be in between, and again, and you guys know this, they're searching for what happened to him last year. What, why did it all go so bad? This was a guy that went into the season, they expected to be the No. 1 receiver, a guy who could take his game to the next level, and he dropped passes. He wasn't tough in certain situations."
"There were questions about him at times going across the middle, and then it kind of just went awry, and Myers took over as the guy, Washington emerged, and you've kind of forgot about him, but you guys saw him the other day, and I wasn't watching the entire practice. I saw some of the clips, but it sounds like he looks like he's back to being Brian Thomas again."
Thomas wasn't outright bad in 2025. He hauled in 48 receptions for 707 yards with two touchdowns. Then again, that statline pales in comparison to his 82 catches for 1,282 yards with 10 touchdowns the year prior. And as Prisco noted, there were different reasons for the drop-off.
Drops were most definitely a concern, with Thomas logging a team-worst nine. Similarly, his refusal (or inability) to run routes across the middle also played a role. Understandably, there was chatter that Jacksonville could move on from Thomas after his disappointing 2025.
Brian Thomas Jr. can make the Jaguars offense unstoppable
As encouraging as Thomas has been, he still has his work cut out. Liam Coen praised Thomas for having a better connection with Trevor Lawrence, but that will need to carry over into the next season. And even then, he may not be Jacksonville's top receiver again.
With Parker Washington, Travis Hunter, and Jakobi Meyers in the mix, the Jags can afford to spread the ball and not force the ball to Thomas.
On the other hand, everyone will benefit if Thomas bounces back, as he'll draw coverage away from his fellow receivers if he gets vertical, which will, in turn, create more favorable matchups. Similarly, it will help the Jaguars running game, as opposing teams may be less inclined to stack the box with six or seven defenders. Otherwise, they would run the risk of being burnt in the backfield.
Simply put, even if Brian Thomas doesn't cross the 1,000-yard mark in 2026, the Jaguars will light up the scoreboard if he returns to form.
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