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Even though Brian Thomas Jr. was the subject of trade chatter after a disappointing 2025, the Jacksonville Jaguars made it clear that they were sticking with him, with general manager James Gladstone going as far as saying that any claims to the contrary were fraudulent.
Thomas has wasted no time repaying the team's trust, putting in the work to fix the issues that held him back last year. That led to a display in the offseason program that reminded everyone just how much of a game-changer he can be.
The Jaguars seem to understand Brian Thomas Jr. had trouble adjusting
Liam Coen had an exchange with Pete Schrager of ESPN. He talked about Brian Thomas Jr.'s outlook next season after his struggles in 2025, noting that it sometimes takes time for players and teams to grow comfortable with each other.
"All I know is I saw the guy just catch balls all spring. Look, anytime you come in, there's change — he had a great rookie year, or he has a quote-unquote down year of 800 yards," Coen told Schrager (27:59 mark). "That
thing started off slow, but it started off slow for our whole offense. Like we weren't clicking on all cylinders. We were winning games. We were running the football. We were playing physical. Our defense was really turning the ball over at a high level, and then things started to click for everybody."
Coen continued, "And it does take some time, especially when you're a receiver playing on the outside. And a lot of our offensive formations are inside the numbers and condensed splits, and you're playing a little bit more inside. And we have to learn our players. Our players have to learn our system, and we have to blend that. It's going to be about players over plays, right?"
Later in the sitdown, Coen stated that Thomas would love to rack up individual accolades, but winning matters, pointing out that the team is bigger than one player.
"But I think if you ask Brian Thomas Jr. as much as he would love to have had another 1,300-yard season, Pro Bowl year for himself, I think going 13-4 and winning kind of matters, and that's something that, as a competitor, you have to balance. It's a hard balance, but when you care about winning more than yourself, that's usually what it's about. And everything we're about here is 'We above me,'" Coen said.
Thomas struggled with drops early in 2025, registering a team-worst nine. To his credit, he played much better as the year progressed and once the coaching staff tweaked his role.
But even in what was an otherwise disappointing season, Thomas managed to reel in 48 receptions for 707 yards with two touchdowns. Imagine what he could do if he can play like he did as a rookie when he shook up the NFL.
The Jaguars surely want to see Brian Thomas jr. become a true WR1
Aside from the drops, Brian Thomas Jr. needs to work on his route-running. In particular, he had trouble with crossers and in-breakers last year. The good news is that he looked like a whole new player in training camp, and if it carries over into training camp and the regular season, opposing defenses will have trouble stopping him.
It's also worth noting that Jakobi Meyers and Parker Washington will be doing most of the dirty work in the middle of the field. That should allow the coaching staff to get the most out of his deep-threat capabilities.
Based on how things have played out since the end of 2025, the Jaguars should expect big things from Brian Thomas Jr. And if you want to bet against him, do it at your own risk.
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This article was originally published on blackandteal.com as Liam Coen reveals why Jaguars fans should be excited about Brian Thomas Jr..
