Browns' Jamari Thrash Reveals His Biggest Offseason Adjustment

A fifth-round pick in 2024, wide receiver Jamari Thrash has seen his hard work pay off in a big way during training camp, now he's poised to be one of the Cleveland Browns' top weapons

Aug 8, 2025; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) with the ball as Carolina Panthers cornerback Chau Smith-Wade (26) defends in the first quarter at Bank of America Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Patience is harder to find than ever in today's NFL. Fans crave the instant gratification of their favorite team's drafted players contributing as soon as possible. Coaches often have less time than ever to develop their players before getting fired.

But adjusting to the pros is not a copy-and-paste process. Some players adjust quickly, others take some time.

Cleveland Browns second-year wideout Jamari Thrash is evidence of the latter. Year one for the Louisville product was plenty inconsistent. He played in nine games, but caught just 3 passes for 22 yards. Drops were a problem, though, both on the field and at practice. So Thrash set out to make sure he fixed that issue this offseason.

"I think my biggest adjustment was just catching the ball," Thrash said at training camp on Wednesday. "Coming from college, the NFL ball is a little bit wider. So I think that's something that I struggled with last year, catching the ball consistently."

Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jamari Thrash (80) brings down a catch during NFL training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus, Friday, July 25, 2025, in Berea, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

And so, Thrash dedicated his offseason to coming back as a better pass catcher.

"This summer I just made sure I caught a lot of balls from a JUGs machine, whether it's a quarterback, he said. "I have a thing, like I can squeeze, squeeze tennis balls, make sure I get my hands in the right. So little stuff like that."

The little stuff has paid off in a big way so far. It's been hard to miss the reinvented Jamari Thrash. He's been one of the most reliable receivers the Browns have had all training camp. More importantly, though, it's translated to the preseason games as well.

In Saturday's preseason win over the Eagles, Thrash caught four passes for 43 yards. Three of those were critical third-down conversions. One week prior, he had two receptions for nine yards against the Panthers. It's only a preview of what's to come from the 24-year-old.

Year two in the NFL also brings more wisdom for Thrash. Rookie campaigns come with a lot of adjustments, to the speed of the league, to learning a more cumbersome playbook with different terminology. This year, Thrash knows what to expect, and so he's been able to focus on simply honing his craft.

"Last year, it was a lot for me coming from college and then I didn't really have a true offseason," said Thrash. "So coming right in to like rookie minicamp and then just adjusting to the speed of the game, I think that's my biggest adjustment [from year one]."

With roster cutdown day looming next week, Thrash has evolved from a mere bubble player to a virtual lock to make Cleveland's final 53. Not only that but he's become one of the top weapons in an offense short on proven skill position talent.

All that's left for him to do is take everything he's learned, everything he's improved upon, and produce during the regular season. He seems to have a plan for that as well.

"I think the big thing, we actually gotta play faster," Thrash emphasized. "Knowing that the regular season is different from the preseason. So basically just playing a lot faster."