Jaguars Place Special Teams Standout Daniel Thomas on Injured Reserve

The Jaguars will be without a key special teams player for potentially the rest of 2023.

The Jacksonville Jaguars will be without standout special teamer Daniel Thomas for the foreseeable future, placing him on injured reserve on Tuesday after he suffered a broken forearm in Week 16. 

Thomas, a fourth-year veteran and former Day 3 pick, has played 902 special teams for the Jaguars over the last four years. This includes 243 special teams snaps this season, good for 61% of the Jaguars' special teams snaps.

Due to the NFL's rules on injured reserve players, the first game Thomas would be eligible to return for would be if the Jaguars advanced to the AFC Championship. 

Thomas is tied for fifth in the NFL this season in special teams tackles with seven, which ranks first amongst all Jaguars players.

Thomas' most impactful play this season was unquestionably an impact tackle he made on a punt in Week 15 vs. the Baltimore Ravens. Acting as a gunner, Thomas split a double team, fought his way back in-bounds, and then made a one-on-one tackle in space to prevent a gain on the return, which was a considerably big play since the Jaguars were backed up in their own end-zone. 

"You just got to make your plays. We talk about making the plays that come to you and being where your feet are. When a play presents your way, you make that play. You get energy, you celebrate, we all celebrate, and we feed off that energy," Jaguars outside linebacker Josh Allen said the next day. 

"We feed off that momentum and that’s what we need more of. On every side of it, DT [S Daniel Thomas] on the special teams play. That was a huge play, backed up on the three-yard line and to get a returner, he’s going against two people, to make a play for a zero-yard gain, that is an incredible play. That gave us momentum, so let’s feed off that energy."