Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Brian Thomas Jr. hurt his left shoulder during joint practice with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Thomas connected with Trevor Lawrence on a deep touchdown on the first play of team drills, getting behind Tampa’s defense with relative ease.
He landed on his shoulder as he corralled the ball, remaining on the ground momentarily as he clutched at the injury. He was able to get up on his own power and went back in for another play, but went to the sideline and was checked on by the training staff shortly afterwards.
Thomas did not return to competition for the remainder of practice but didn’t go inside the Miller Electric Center for further examination either.
He watched from the sideline as his teammates put out a good
display against Tampa’s defense on the first of two joint practices.
“I think he’s alright. He just came down on his shoulder,” head coach Liam Coen said after practice. “I think just holding him out was smart, keep him out and get him to go for Cleveland.”
Based on Coen’s comments, Thomas won’t suit up tomorrow as the team closes out training camp and he’ll be ready to play by the time the Jaguars host the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 13 in their season opener.
Jaguars will likely be down two starting receivers to close training camp
The Jaguars are already without wide receiver Jakobi Meyers, who has a brace on his right hand after jamming it against the Carolina Panthers in joint practice last week. Now, they are likely to be without Thomas as they return to joint practice with the Buccaneers on Aug. 26. Neither injury is viewed as long-term and both players should be healthy by the time the season starts.
Rookie wide receivers CJ Williams and Josh Cameron had an uptick in reps as the two starting pass catchers watched from the sideline. Coen said he’d have to further evaluate their days when he watches film but credited them for blocking well in the run game.
Despite being without two of their three best receivers, Trevor Lawrence and Jacksonville’s offense were able to have a strong performance passing the football thanks to Parker Washington and Brenton Strange.
Washinton got open for several receptions in Tampa’s secondary, continuing the hot streak he’s been on in the final year of his contract. Strange became a reliable target for Lawrence as he settled in soft spots in the Buccaneers’ defense.
Tim Jones and Austin Trammell were given a healthy share of reps when Cameron or Williams were not in with the starters.
Travis Hunter didn’t have any reps on offense in first joint practice with Buccaneers
The Jaguars are continuing with their plan for Travis Hunter as he spent the entire day on defense once again.
There was a point in the practice where Hunter walked over from the near field that Jacksonville’s defense was on to the far field that the offense was practicing on. He wandered around behind the players for a few moments before making his way back to the defense’s field.
Hunter would split time with both sides of the ball earlier in camp, being on the receiving end of a touchdown as the Jaguars faced the New Orleans Saints in joint practice. Last week against the Carolina Panthers he had two snaps on offense. Against the Buccaneers he didn’t record a single rep with the offense.
“We need as much work as humanly possible,” Coen said when asked about Hunter’s work on defense. “In terms of getting better, getting more continuity, the chemistry between that group is so important. I do think we have absolutely made progress.”
Hunter is trending toward being a starter with Jacksonville’s defense and he is listed as a backup on the offense. It’s a reversal of his roles last season as he spent a majority of his time with the offense and less time on defense.
But even as the team went down multiple receivers, his plan hasn’t budged for the season. It shows that the Jaguars are committed to his development and want to allow him the necessary time to become rooted in Anthony Campanile’s defense.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jaguars' Brian Thomas Jr. injured during practice vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
