Jaguars’ Brian Thomas Jr. won’t be able to shy away from attention in second season

Brian Thomas Jr. won’t be able to shy away from attention this season.

The reserved, second-year pass catcher of the Jacksonville Jaguars will have all eyes on him this year. It’s something head coach Liam Coen referenced at several points during the offseason.

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Teams will be gameplanning to try to take No. 7 out of the matchup. Whether that’s shading players to his side or sticking him on an island with their top defender, there’s no hiding this year.

Game Week: Jacksonville Jaguars’ Liam Coen can’t wait to see what Trevor Lawrence, Travis Hunter do

The former first-round pick caught the league by surprise last year, emerging as one of the top players at his position despite a statistically bad season from Jacksonville’s offense.

Thomas was the fifth pass catcher taken in the 2024 draft, selected after Marvin Harrison Jr., Malik Nabers, Rome Odunze and Brock Bowers.

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Thomas caught 87 passes for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns last year, all franchise records for a rookie receiver. Thomas’ 1,282 yards were third-best in the league as he finished behind fellow LSU receivers Ja’Marr Chase and Justin Jefferson.

His statistics earned him the first Pro Bowl nod in his career, but he still thinks there’s more for him to do.

“I feel like I still left a lot out there on the table and I know there’s a higher ceiling for me,” Thomas said in the locker room Monday, Sept. 1. “I know what I can do and I can get accomplished. I just always push myself to be better and better each and every day.”

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) reacts to his first down pickup during the second quarter of an NFL football matchup Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024 at EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. [Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]

It should be noted that Thomas achieved those feats in an abbreviated season with quarterback Trevor Lawrence as Lawrence was sidelined by injuries. The two players spent the offseason getting timing down and continuing to build on the foundation set last season.

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It wasn’t perfect, especially in certain training camp practices where Thomas let his frustrations show by punching a padded wall or kicking a football after a lost rep, but Thomas feels like the work they put in together was beneficial and will continue to expand.

“I feel like we’ve definitely got a lot closer, whether it’s football or off the field, like all the little things,” he said of his relationship with Lawrence. “I feel like our chemistry is growing on the field, and I feel like it’s going to continue to grow throughout the season.”

Shortly after he was hired, Coen told local reporters he was excited to use Thomas after doing film study on the Jaguars. The versatility, his speed, his ability to play different positions all were highlights for Coen.

Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen talks with Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. during an NFL training camp session ten at the Miller Electric Center, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union]

Now, he’ll get the chance to enhance the young pass catcher as he deploys him into his offense.

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“When he goes to the Miami joint (practice) and kind of did what he did there and last few practices last week, I thought he had a really good week last week,” Coen said, referencing the two touchdowns Thomas scored in joint practices against the Dolphins during the final week of training camp.

Just like Lawrence should see an increase moving forward with Coen at the helm, the same can be said for Thomas. With Coen scheming him open, and the natural ability Thomas has, it’ll be interesting to see what year two looks like for the pass catcher.

“It’ll be important to continue to be able to get him involved early, especially, for any skill player,” Coen continued. “You really want to try to get them a touch early so that those guys can get into the game, feel like they’re in the game, and not kind of being taken away, if you will.”

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Brian Thomas Jr. says he and Trevor Lawrence ‘got a lot closer’ this offseason