Jacksonville Jaguars Head Coach Liam Coen hangs his head while talking with Jacksonville Jaguars General Manager James Gladstone after the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 18th and final training camp practice at Miller Electric Center in Jacksonville, Fla. Wednesday August 20, 2025. [Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union] Doug Engle/Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Liam Coen Reveals X-Factor for Jaguars Offense

Originally posted on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI
By Andy Quach | Last updated Aug 22, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The Jacksonville Jaguars didn't exactly have a great showing on offense in the 2024 NFL season. The team was awful overall en route to a 4-13 finish, but they were especially disappointing on the attack. That's because they severely underperformed their expectations.

Quarterback Trevor Lawrence dealt with two separate injuries — a shoulder sprain and a concussion that ended his season — but he struggled even when he was healthy. Now, the Jaguars have enlisted new head coach Liam Coen to help revitalize their offense and recover their QB's developmental track.

In Jacksonville, Coen will have quite a few new weapons at his disposal that came inwith him, including the second-overall pick in the 2025 draft, Travis Hunter Jr. However, he'll have some exciting veterans that could blossom alongside Lawrence under his control as well. One of the most enticing thoughts is what Liam Coen might be able to do with rookie standout receiver Brian Thomas Jr.

Liam Coen has great plans for Brian Thomas Jr. in the 2025 NFL season

It's difficult to imagine Brian Thomas Jr. having a much better season than his rookie campaign. Last season, he put up 87 catches for 1,282 yards and 10 touchdowns. His performance ranked third in the NFL for receiving yards.

While he might not significantly improve on his statistical output from last year, there are ways that he can still progress, both as a leader and as a player. Following the Jacksonville Jaguars' first joint practice with the Miami Dolphins, Head Coach Liam Coen spoke on BTJ's ability to command the attention of multiple defenders and how that can be utilized in the offense:

"That was something that we saw in L.A. with [Cooper Kupp] a lot was you can kind of dictate some things knowing maybe what their answer will be. Then last year with [Buccaneers WR] Mike Evans, that was so much of our red zone game plan was based on him. It was like, alright. Put him over there three by one. If they double him, we should have numbers to the front side or run it. If they single him, well, the ball needs to go there and that was a lot of kind of what we tried to do, whether it was red zone, third down, whatever it is."

"So, it's a challenge for him. It's a challenge for us as coaches to be able to, 'Okay, he is getting doubled. We need to move him so that he doesn't get a double, or let's use him as a decoy here to get somebody else a matchup that may be favorable for us.'”

Between the arrival of Travis Hunter Jr. and opposing defenses now game-planning against Brian Thomas Jr., he might take a small step back in terms of volume and statistical output. But he should be able to further impact winning in his second season with the Jaguars.

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This article first appeared on Jacksonville Jaguars on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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