Is Jaguars Rookie Gaining the Trust of the Coaching Staff?

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted Brian Thomas Jr. in the first round of the NFL Draft to help spark the Jaguars offense. Three games in, he has already earned more targets.

Sep 23, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) avoids a tackle by Buffalo Bills cornerback Cam Lewis (39) after making a catch in the third quarter at Highmark Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-Imagn Images / Mark Konezny-Imagn Images

The Jacksonville Jaguars drafted wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. out of LSU in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. They did so because he displayed potential while playing collegiately, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence needed additional weapons.

The Jaguars brought in Thomas Jr. as they believed he could help an already talented offense take the next step. 

As the season continues and the rookie wide receiver continues to prove himself to the coaching staff and his teammates, Pederson says they are trusting Thomas Jr. with more targets.

After being targeted four times in the first two games, Thomas Jr. was targeted nine times against the Bills. He caught five of those targets for a total of 48 yards.

Jaguars coach Doug Pederson acknowledged that Thomas Jr. had done his part to gradually earn more trust and opportunities from the coaching staff. Moving forward, they will undoubtedly need more from Thomas Jr. and the rest of the offense. 

“We are [trusting him more], and yes, he's done a good job,” Pederson said. “Again, it’s the more comfortable Trevor [Lawrence] is with him and the more on the same page they become, he can handle more. But we want to make sure we're doing it the right way. 

“I don't want to just load him down with a lot of stuff. I still want him to play free and freed-up and play fast, but he's done a good job for us. We still have some things to clean up with his, obviously with his route detail and some of the attention to detail overall, but he's done a really good job.” 

While the addition of Thomas Jr. was solid, the Jaguars are still 0-3 this season and still searching for their first win. The Jaguars have many offensive issues, but Thomas Jr. is not one of them, as the rookie has already flashed his potential in Jacksonville’s offense. It will be up to Pederson and Defensive Coordinator Press Taylor to find the best way to maximize Thomas Jr.’s abilities. They must do so soon, as there may be a few jobs on the line if the Jaguars continue losing.

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