Coming off a highly impressive rookie season, what is next for Jacksonville Jaguars’ wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. in his second NFL season?

“Just come out and be better than I was last year,” Thomas said after Thursday’s OTA practice. “Just come out here each and every day and just push myself to be the best that I can be and see where that takes me. Just come out here and be the best that I can be.”

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In what was a loaded wide receiver draft class in 2024, Thomas wasn’t only the most productive wideout out of that group, but he was one of the most productive receivers in all of football, totaling the third-most receiving yards with 1,282.

Adding to that feat was the up-and-down quarterback play the Jaguars had without Trevor Lawrence during the second half of the year, not to mention that defenses knew Thomas was getting the ball and still struggled to contain him.

Oftentimes, it is during a player’s second NFL season that we see them make the biggest leap. For one, there is added comfort in the experience that has been gained from that first season. But in addition to that, with not having to deal with the pre-draft process, there is also the opportunity for some rest and to really hone in on their craft.

“I feel way better this year than I did last year,” Thomas added. “Coming off a long rookie season, just with the combine, draft, all that, just being able to have some off time and take care of my body, just come back and be ready to go, I feel way better this season, for sure.”

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As good as Year 1 was for Thomas, as offensive coordinator Grant Udinski mentioned earlier this offseason, there is still more out there for the Jaguars’ receiver.

This not only comes in the form of more potential production, but also in how he’s utilized within the offense. In Liam Coen’s system, we are going to see more of Thomas lining up in the slot and more opportunities for him to attack different levels of the field and do so in a variety of ways.

This, in turn, not only can create mismatches for Thomas to exploit, but he can also help create opportunities for others within the offense with the attention he draws.

“Just taking care of your body,” said Thomas when asked what he learned in his first NFL season. “How long the season really is, how long the season actually is, so just doing the little things. Doing prehab so you don’t have to do rehab. Just taking care of your body before things happen. Just being up on everything.”

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Thomas also added that he and Trevor Lawrence have continued to bond and build that chemistry between them through extra reps during offseason programs. At the start of OTAs, Lawrence expressed the immense amount of confidence that he has in Thomas.

This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Jacksonville Jaguars’ OTAs: Brian Thomas Jr. on heading into Year 2