After an electric rookie campaign, Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. has dealt with a bit of a sophomore slump. He’s struggled to find his footing in first-year head coach Liam Coen’s offense, and the inconsistency has shown up on the stat sheet.
He’s also been battling a few nagging injuries along the way, including wrist and shoulder issues earlier in the year. To make things worse, he’s now working through an ankle injury that sidelined him last week and could keep him out in Week 11 as well.
What is the Latest Update on Thomas?
Late in the Jaguars’ Week 9 matchup against the Raiders, Brian Thomas Jr. made a big-time catch-and-run into Las Vegas territory, but he was pulled down awkwardly from behind. Thomas immediately stood up and began limping before collapsing to the ground in pain.
He left the game and was soon ruled questionable to return, per UnderdogNFL. Thomas attempted to come back, but his ankle kept him sidelined. The Jaguars eventually forced overtime and defeated the Raiders 30-29, but Thomas did not retake the field.
Two days later, Jacksonville acquired WR Jakobi Meyers via trade. While the move came in response to Travis Hunter’s season-ending knee injury, it also served as a potential band-aid for Thomas’s struggles and tough injury luck.
The following week, in preparation for Week 10, Thomas was listed as a DNP in Wednesday’s practice due to the ankle. He recorded a second and third straight DNP on Thursday, Nov. 6, and Friday, Nov. 7.
On that Friday, Adam Schefter announced that Thomas would miss Week 10 against the Houston Texans.
Fast-forward to this week, as the Jaguars host the Los Angeles Chargers. Thomas was listed as questionable this Friday afternoon, according to the Jaguars’ official practice report, after participating in three straight limited practices from Wednesday through Friday. A whole week of limited participation often provides enough time for a player to return to the field on Sunday.
Looking back, on November 5, a trusted doctor on X, Jesse Morse, noted that Thomas is dealing with a low-grade high-ankle sprain, which is not considered severe. Morse also indicated that Thomas had a fair chance to play back in Week 10. While he ultimately missed that game vs Houston, the timeline suggests he could be on track for Week 11.
Jacksonville would love to have its #1 wide receiver back in the lineup, as they prepare for the 7-3 Chargers on Sunday. The Jaguars currently hold the 7-seed in the playoff picture and, with the #25-ranked offense according to PFSN’s Offense Impact metric, they will need all the help they can get