Jacksonville Jaguars’ wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has been Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target through the first five weeks of the 2025 season, and it hasn’t even been close.
The Jaguars’ second-year receiver out of LSU has been targeted 38 times in his first five games, averaging 7.6 targets a game. He has 14 more targets than the next closest receivers in that category. Brenton Strange and Travis Hunter each are tied for second in targets with 24.
However, of Thomas’ 38 targets, he only has 16 receptions, catching under half of the balls that come his way (42.1%).
Yet, those numbers do not accurately reflect the connection between Lawrence and Thomas Jr. in the Jaguars’ past two weeks, specifically the wins over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4 and the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5.
The reason Thomas Jr.’s reception rate is so low is due to his performance through the first three weeks of the season. He had a quiet start to the season in his sophomore debut against the Carolina Panthers.
The six-foot-two, 209-pound receiver was targeted seven times, second most on the team behind Hunter, who was targeted eight times. However, of those seven targets, Thomas Jr. only hauled in a single reception for 11 yards in the Jaguars’ 26-10 win over the Panthers.
Week 2 showcased Thomas Jr.’s worst performance of the season, in arguably the Jaguars’ worst game of the year, a 31-27 loss to a depleted Cincinnati Bengals roster without Joe Burrow at the helm.
Despite recording four catches for 49 yards, Thomas Jr. was targeted 12 times and caught only 33.3% of his passes. Head coach Liam Coen said that Thomas Jr. was dealing with a “wrist injury going into the game.” However, even with the injury, Coen admitted that he needed more from Thomas Jr.
He shied away from catches in traffic, was unable to come down with 50/50 balls, and ultimately missed multiple catches that could have changed the course of the game.
Here are a few of Lawrence’s incomplete passes that were intended for Thomas Jr.
One of those plays ended in an interception, while the other was a missed chance at a potential touchdown. Thomas also had a clear drop near the goal line in the final moments of the game.
The Jaguars’ 17-10 victory over the Houston Texans in Week 3 was not much better for Jacksonville’s 2024 first-round draft pick. He was targeted six times, resulting in two catches for, at the time, a season-high 55 yards receiving.
He hauled in his longest grab of the season, a 46-yard reception on a catch and run that eventually set up running back Travis Etienne’s game-winning 10-yard touchdown.
Through the first three weeks of the 2025 season, Thomas Jr. caught 28% of his targets and averaged 4.6 yards per target. He was targeted 25 times and tallied seven receptions for 115 yards, and failed to find the back of the endzone as a pass-catcher.
The issue was not what Thomas Jr. could do with the ball, because it was clear that when he got receptions, he could make plays. The issue was actually getting the ball in Thomas Jr.’s hands.
His performance in Week 2 highlighted that Lawrence did not seem to be the root of the problem. He often made accurate, timely throws and actually suffered an interception at the hands of Thomas Jr.
However, that all seemed to change in what felt like a must-win game over San Fransico in Week 4.
Thomas Jr. recorded a season-high five receptions for 49 yards. He was targeted seven times and caught a season-high 71.4% of his targets. He led the team in targets, along with Strange, and recorded the most receiving yards for the Jaguars.
Week 5 was much of the same, consistent, which is something that Lawrence’s favorite target has lacked through the first three games of the season.
He recorded a season high 80 receiving yards in a 31-28 come-from-behind victory over the Chiefs on Monday night, to help the Jaguars improve to 4-1. Once again, he made a game-changing play late in the fourth quarter.
He hauled in a 33-yard reception with 54 seconds remaining in the game, which eventually set up Lawrence’s game-winning rushing touchdown.
Thomas Jr. was targeted six times in that contest, and hauled in four catches, grabbing 66.% of his targets. Once again, he was Lawrence’s favorite target. Dyami Brown and Etienne each tallied four targets, good enough for the second-highest on the team behind Thomas Jr.
In his last two outings, as noted by Ian Hartitz, Thomas Jr. has caught 69% of his targets and has averaged 9.9 yards a target. He tallied 13 targets, which resulted in nine catches for 129 receiving yards.
He recorded 14 more receiving yards and two more catches, on 12 fewer targets in Weeks 4 and 5, compared to the first three games of the season.
This week’s matchup against the Seattle Seahawks will not only be a test for Jacksonville’s offense, but a benchmark for Thomas Jr.’s consistency at receiver.
Seattle is navigating a banged-up secondary, which Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ quarterback Baker Mayfield threw for 379 yards on in a 38-35 Week 5 victory. Mayfield’s favorite target, rookie Emeka Egbuka, tallied seven receptions for 163 yards and a touchdown.
Yet, unlike Egbuka, Thomas Jr. has yet to find the endzone this season through the air. He caught 10 touchdowns as a rookie in 2024, and finished the season with 87 receptions on 133 targets, and recorded 1,282 receiving yards.
Thomas Jr. has proved he can produce on offense, and now Sunday’s matchup with Seattle could be another step towards him getting back to the consistency he played with as a rookie.
This article originally appeared on Jaguars Wire: Brian Thomas Jr. is finding his rhythm as the Jaguars’ top target
Reporting by Miles Jordan, Jaguars Wire / Jaguars Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
