Jaguars Preseason Week 1: Is WR Brian Thomas Jr. playing today vs. the Chiefs?

Rookies sometimes need time to adjust to the NFL but Brian Thomas Jr. will be expected to contribute right off the bat because he was a first-round selection in the 2024 draft. Whether he becomes the deep threat the Jacksonville Jaguars envision remains to be seen, but he'll get valuable reps in Week 1 of the preseason.

Thomas will take the field against the Kansas City Chiefs preseason opener. He's enjoyed a clean bill of health and head coach Doug Pederson has stated that the "so-called starters will get playing time early on.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid also stated that they'll play their starters too, so Thomas will be able to measure himself against top competition.

Needing to fill the void left by Calvin Ridley's departure in free agency, Jacksonville drafted Thomas 23rd overall after moving back six spots and additional round picks from the Minnesota Vikings. Although the former LSU Tiger wasn't in the same echelon as the big 3 — teammate Malik Nabers, Marvin Harrison Jr., and Rome Odunze — the consensus saw him as a first-round selection.

The move looks great in retrospect because instead of moving up to draft one of the big 3, the Jaguars managed to trade down, acquire extra assets, and take care of a need.

What does Jaguars WR Brian Thomas Jr. bring to the table?

Speed. Brian Thomas Jr. has the athleticism to stretch the field. His 4.33 speed in the 40-yard dash was one of the top marks at the NFL Scouting Combine. But the Louisiana native is far from a workout warrior. He routinely showed his speed at the collegiate level. Even though he played second fiddle to Malik Nabers, he was no slouch, hauling in 68 receptions for 1,177 yards with 17 touchdowns and averaging a jaw-dropping 17.3 yards per catch in 2023.

In Jacksonville, Thomas is expected to be a deep threat that will draw coverage away from his teammates. This will create better matchups for the likes of tight end Evan Engram, and wide receiver Christian Kirk, who operates in the middle of the field. On top of that, opposing defenses won't be able to stack the box and will need players to drop in coverage to defend the wideout.

Although Thomas got off to a rough start to training camp, he's put on display his ability to get deep, especially in more recent practices. And that's the thing, most offensive players struggled early on because the coaching staff was going over red-zone and third-down installs. Now that they've moved to scheming first and second downs, Thomas, along with Trevor Lawrence and the rest of the offense have fared much better.

Heading into the preseason game against the Chiefs, the rookie wideout told the local beat that he's pleased with how his connection with Lawrence is coming along.

"We've been getting it down each and every day," Thomas said on Day 13 of training camp. "Running the routes, then talking through it, watching film together, seeing how he sees it. Getting actual practice reps helps a lot."

Jaguars vs. Chiefs injury report for Week 1 of the 2024 NFL Preseason

While Brian Thomas Jr. and Trevor Lawrence will be suiting up against the Chiefs, the Jaguars already ruled out a handful of players.

Left guard Ezra Cleveland suffered a heel injury in training camp and has missed practice. Right tackle Anton Harrison, on the other hand, has been in the concussion protocol but is close to returning. He was wearing an orange jersey and helmet during Day 13, so he may return for Week 2 of the preseason.

Defensive back Darnell Savage is still recovering from shoulder surgery he underwent in the offseason but he's been partaking in practice. His absence in the opener will be cautionary. Rookie Jefferson and Andrew Wingard got hurt in training camp. The latter is expected to miss considerable playing time and his availability for the season opener is in doubt.

Last but not least, Arik Armstead had meniscus surgery earlier this year and has spent the offseason recovering. He landed on the Physically Unable to Perform list to start training camp but Doug Pederson says he's getting closer to return.

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