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Why hasn't Brian Thomas Jr. dominated Jacksonville Jaguars camp yet? Press Taylor explains
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- Why hasn't Brian Thomas Jr. dominated Jacksonville Jaguars camp yet? Press Taylor explains
It's been a quiet training camp thus far for Jacksonville Jaguars first-round pick receiver Brian Thomas Jr.
Though he's made a couple of downfield snags, his overall usage thus far hasn't exactly replicated the 4.33 40-yard dash speed and 17.3 yards per catch average he had during his last season at LSU.
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But, that doesn't mean he isn't the player Jacksonville thought he'd be when they drafted him. It's simply part of the plan head coach Doug Pederson set forth for the early portions of training camp, offensive coordinator Press Taylor said Sunday morning, shortly before the 10th practice of camp this year.
"You want to think guys are ready to come play football the day they get here. Well, that's not necessarily the case," Taylor said when asked about focusing on more short and intermediate routes so far in camp as opposed to throwing deep to Thomas. "I think part of it's the way that the NFL's adapted with the acclimation period as we go. So, just trying to be smart of, these guys haven't played football in three months."
Through most of camp thus far, Thomas hasn't been given opportunities to catch the ball down the field. Most of his work comes from the middle of the field or working shorter routes through the team's initial install, which is all part of the plan to help him and the other wideouts get their feet under them before ramping up.
Brian Thomas Jr. 's role continues to grow as Jaguars ramp up offense
Now over a week into training camp, the Jaguars will steadily expand the team's offense, especially vertically. The early portion of camp was not the time to do it, though.
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"To come out, and a normal install, and ask guys to run 45 yards downfield, I don't know that their bodies are ready for that. Then you start getting the soft-tissue injuries that set you back throughout the course of camp," Taylor explained.
Given Thomas' skillset, Taylor admitted that not being able to use him in the fashion that's envisioned for Thomas is a bit "frustrating" at times.
"You've got this new tool that you want to get down the field and really expose to certain things, but is that the best thing for the player, for our team as we get going in the long run of camp?" Taylor questioned. "Camp is really just a ramp-up to Week 1. That's how we view it. And yes, we'd love to win every single day, including day one, but ultimately, we want to be ready to play Week 1."
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Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. (7) looks on during the seventh day of an NFL football training camp practice Wednesday, July 31, 2024 at EverBank Stadium’s Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla.
The Jaguars are playing it safe. During camp, many teams experience attrition on the roster, particularly due to soft-tissue injuries that can pop up because a player isn't quite ready to be fully unleashed.
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In Thomas' case, he hasn't had any injuries, but the team wanted to give him a slow-roll until they felt he was ready. Now, it seems like he is.
Last Friday, Thomas broke deep during a one-on-one period, utilizing a smooth release and good pacing to beat the defender downfield for a would-be touchdown on Sundays in the fall. It's exactly the type of skills the Jaguars saw during Thomas' collegiate years and the skills they envision being utilized within the offense.
'He is who he is': Brian Thomas Jr. getting comfortable, but remains serious
Thomas has not made many plays during camp so far, but he has continued in his quest to get comfortable not only with quarterback Trevor Lawrence but also with the team and the wideout room as a whole.
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Thomas' demeanor isn't firey; he's not a rah-rah guy or a very vocal receiver who demands the attention of everyone on the field. He comes to work, gets the job done and goes home. But, that's just who he is, Taylor said.
"His personality is pretty consistent. He is who he is. He's not a guy that gives you a ton of juice, a ton of energy at times, but he's very locked in. He's very serious about what he does. He continues to develop," said Taylor.
Still, his teammates are starting to get him to loosen up a bit, allowing him to acclimate himself to a new environment.
"I mean, you see Gabe kind of ribs him quite a bit to where you get a little bit more out of him at times. You see him laugh and smile and joking around with the guys quite a bit," said Taylor. "But I do think he's a little bit more comfortable in his environment as he goes. We just encourage him to be who he is. We're not trying to change him at all. We're very happy with the person he is."
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Thomas will continue to develop both on and off the field, and while the Jaguars haven't explored the best part of his games to its fullest extent left, there are still 10 days of training camp left, and a few preseason games to get him revved up. Until then, they'll let Brian be Brian.
Demetrius Harvey is the Jacksonville Jaguars reporter for the Florida Times-Union. You can follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Demetrius82 .
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This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville Jaguars' Brian Thomas Jr.'s slow start in camp explained
