Brian Thomas Jr.’s day at Jaguars-Buccaneers joint practice ended with a scare after just a couple of reps, and all eyes in Jacksonville are now on his shoulder.
The Jaguars wide receiver made his biggest impact almost immediately in Tuesday’s 11-on-11 work. Trevor Lawrence found him for a touchdown on the first play, with Tampa Bay’s secondary in coverage.
Thomas came down, reached for his shoulder right away, and then spent time being evaluated by trainers after briefly returning to action. Reporters said he took only a couple more reps before settling on the sideline.
There was no official diagnosis yet, but early speculation around the field pointed to a possible AC joint issue based on the landing. The situation is especially sensitive because Thomas dealt with shoulder and wrist problems during the 2025 season, injuries that slowed him after a strong rookie year. He also later missed time with an ankle sprain, a stretch that even led to talk of a possible exit from Jacksonville.
Thomas spent the offseason working back from multiple issues. In the spring, he said running no longer hurt, and coaches had been upbeat about the strength and catching work he put in. The expectation was for him to rebound in 2026.
For now, the Jaguars still view Thomas as their starting X receiver and the vertical threat they want stretching the field. His chemistry with Lawrence had been building in camp, and he had also shared some 11-personnel snaps with Travis Hunter earlier. That role still leaves him as the team’s primary deep option, which is why his status matters so much for both the offense and fantasy outlooks.
The team is waiting on how the shoulder responds overnight as trainers continue to assess him. Jacksonville lost to the Carolina Panthers on Friday, 34-17, and will face the Buccaneers on Friday with hopes of getting a positive update on Thomas.
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What will get the most attention, though, is the first teal helmet in franchise history, a detail that instantly makes this more than just another uniform rollout. Jacksonville plans to wear the set in Week 8 at EverBank Stadium against the Colts, and as with any bold rebrand, the real conversation will start once fans see it under the lights. [Read more 🡒]