Even though Brian Thomas Jr. has struggled this season, the Jacskonville Jaguars made it abundantly clear that they don't have any plans on trading him. This makes sense when you take into account just how talented the sophomore wideout is.
That said, Thomas now needs to repay the team's trust. Head coach Liam Coen is confident that he will.
The Jaguars game vs. the Raiders presents a chance for Brian Thomas Jr. to turn the corner
Liam Coen met with the local media ahead of the Las Vegas Raiders game. He said that he fully expects Brian Thomas to break out at some point, noting that it takes time but hopes he can deliver in Week 9.
"You know, I think it's you're continuing to try to, any player that is maybe not done as much as they'd want to," Coen said when asked where he thinks Thomas stands (3:11 mark). "All you know, as a player and as a coach, is to just keep pushing through, that here's going to be a breakthrough at some point here, to just connect."
Coen continued, "And doing it, you watch games from last year, because obviously, you're watching the Raiders from last year, and you're watching big plays being made, 'All right, man, like just it has to go happen as much as it can in practice.' But also, you know, in the game, it's got to come to life for that connection to truly go the way that it needs to go. So it takes work, it takes patience, it takes time, and you're just hopeful that it's going to be able to come to life here."
As Coen noted, Thomas showed out against Las Vegas last year, hauling in nine catches on 13 targets for 132 yards with one touchdown. Granted, it was a different coaching staff, but the expectation is that the 2024 first-round pick will be equally dominant this time around.
Seven games into the season, Thomas has logged 27 receptions for 365 yards with one touchdown. Although he's played well at times, he's struggled with drops.
The Jaguars are right to stand behind Brian Thomas Jr.
All things considered, the Jaguars are doing the right thing by continuing to show confidence in Brian Thomas Jr. Ideally, he would be playing at a high level right now. However, progress isn't linear. Players are bound to regress at some point in their careers. In Thomas' case, it's hard to tell what exactly is wrong with him. That said, it's fair to assume that he's had trouble adjusting to Liam Coen's scheme, which asks him to run underneath routes, something he's not used to.
Similarly, opposing defenses are zeroing in on the former LSU Tiger, which, in turn, makes it difficult for him to have as much success as he did in his rookie campaign. Regardless of the reason, the Jaguars are confident he can put it all together. If he does, the offense will be in great shape the remainder of the year.
And against the Raiders, Brian Thomas Jr. will have a prime opportunity to show he's still the same receiver who caught the league by storm in 2024.