Brian Thomas Jr was amazing as a rookie. The receiver from LSU, drafted 23rd overall, was thrust into a major role last year for the Jaguars, and he flourished, accumulating 1,282 yards on 87 receptions with ten touchdowns. So, coming into the 2025 season, plenty expected him to pick up where he left off. Unfortunately, that has not happened, and after Sunday’s 31-27 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, there must be some level of concern.
Thomas finished Sunday’s game with four receptions for 49 yards in the loss, but his numbers could have been much greater. He made two crucial errors in the endzone—short-arming a pass that was intercepted by the Bengals, and fumbling another pass through his hands. These plays raised concerns about his current focus compared to his rookie season, as the expectation remains that if you’re going to take a hit, you should still make the catch. So, what could be hampering him as he enters his second season?
One thing could be expectations. When you come into your rookie season, there is a level of expectation anyway, but when you meet and exceed those expectations, that bar gets raised. With Thomas Jr, that bar rose after his rookie season and now he faces additional pressure to perform at an even higher level. Navigating this new level of scrutiny and expectation may be a factor as he works to regain his confidence and consistency for the rest of the season.
Another thing that could be affecting him is the attention that he is receiving. When Travis Hunter was brought in with the second overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the Jaguars saw him as a wide receiver more than a defensive back. With that addition, it was expected that some eyes would be taken away from Thomas Jr. While there have been some eyes moved towards Hunter when he is in an offensive role, nine receptions for 55 yards is not exactly scaring defenses. And with the Jaguars using him primarily on shorter routes to get the ball in his hands and not to threaten the defense at different levels, that still keeps attention focused on Thomas Jr., who is the best receiver on the team.
Thomas Jr. has to be better and he knows that. But knowing it and making it happen are two different things. Will Thomas get it going in his next game against the Houston Texans and another former LSU Tiger, cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., or will he continue to have these moments? We shall see what happens, but the biggest thing is he has to get out of his head, forget what has happened in the past and go out and play like he is capable of doing.