Early in the offseason, Brian Thomas Jr. was at the center of trade speculation. However, the noise has died down substantially. The 2024 first-round pick has looked like a whole different player, showcasing his game-altering skills throughout the offseason program. If he keeps making strides, nobody will bat an eye if he returns to the level of dominance he displayed as a rookie.
Liam Coen has heaped praise on Thomas, while Lawrence says he's doing his part to improve their connection. And if there were any doubts that the third-year is trending in the right direction, Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated's latest observation should put them to rest.
The Jaguars never going to sell low on Brian Thomas Jr.
Albert Breer shared his observations about Brian Thomas Jr. ahead of training camp. He says that all the trade speculation around him was just that, noting that the Jaguars weren't going to give up on him in spite of his disappointing 2025 season.
"As a result, though most of the rumblings weren't more than just that, discussion picked up externally that GM James Gladstone and coach Liam Coen, who both arrived after Thomas's big rookie year, might consider moving him," Breer wrote. "But in all the digging around I did, it became abundantly clear that the Jaguars were never selling low on a guy with that sort of talent."
Breer continued, "And the past five months have shown why. Thomas never really left after his disappointing 2025, establishing a constant presence in the Jaguars' building first to rehab a couple of lingering injuries (that were part of the equation last year), and then to get as much time on task with Lawrence as he could".
Thomas was unstoppable at Organized Team Activities. He appeared to be on the same page with Trevor Lawrence — something that was an issue last year.
For his part, Thomas says he's working on cutting down drops and other things that held him back last year. It's also worth noting that the Walker, Louisiana native is healthy. Knee, shoulder, and hand injuries hampered him as well.
Basically, Thomas has everything going for him to bounce back after hauling in just 48 receptions for 707 yards with two touchdowns in 2025.
Brian Thomas will be a huge part of the Jaguars offense (even with a limited role)
It wasn't long ago that Benjamin Solak of ESPN suggested that Brian Thomas Jr. could have a limited role with the Jaguars as a deep threat. This stems from his unwillingness to run routes in the middle of the field. The former LSU Tiger will most definitely improve in that area of his game, but he should still get his fair share of targets on the Jacksonville offense.
Granted, Thomas won't be the only receiver targeted. Liam Coen said as much, as the Jags will spread the ball, but if he truly cuts the drops, he'll definitely have better numbers than last year despite the fact that fellow receiver Jakobi Meyers, Travis Hunter, Parker Washington, and tight end Brenton Strange are also in the mix.
Heck, at this point, Washington appears to be No. 1, at least from an outside perspective, as he runs a more diverse route three and is expected to run more vertical routes next season. Nevertheless, the coaching staff will still make an effort to get an improved Thomas the ball as much as possible.
When Liam Coen became the head coach in 2025, he made it clear that the offense would run through Brian Thomas Jr. It didn't work out that way. But instead of giving up on him, the Jaguars got to work and looked for ways to get the most out of him. Now, Thomas is doing his best to repay their trust. One year later, Coen's vision may at last come to fruition.
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