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***Official Julius Thomas Hype Train*** (1 Viewer)

12punch said:
think he might be pretty juicy with kubiak if they sign him

I'd think the franchise number on te would be relatively low -- any chance of that?
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Demaryius Thomas will be a higher signing priority, Broncos may have to use tag on Demaryius.I think they let Julius walk. He is not a complete TE, his shortcomings as a run-blocker cost him snaps down the stretch - that, and his chronically injured ankles.

 
Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Jeff Legwold, free agent Julius Thomas has made it clear to the Broncos he wants to be among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

When healthy, Thomas has shown he can be a dominant mismatch creator -- especially in the red zone. But he's been injured in three of his four NFL seasons, often hampered by cumbersome ankle issues. And with the Broncos shifting to more of a run-based attack under Gary Kubiak, it would be a surprise if they ponied up the cash to re-sign Thomas. So look for Thomas to hit the open market in March and get overpaid as a player that benefited greatly from Peyton Manning's presence. Julius will be asking for something just below the four-year, $40M deal Jimmy Graham got in July.

Source: ESPN.com
Feb 12 - 9:11 AM
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Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Jeff Legwold, free agent Julius Thomas has made it clear to the Broncos he wants to be among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

When healthy, Thomas has shown he can be a dominant mismatch creator -- especially in the red zone. But he's been injured in three of his four NFL seasons, often hampered by cumbersome ankle issues. And with the Broncos shifting to more of a run-based attack under Gary Kubiak, it would be a surprise if they ponied up the cash to re-sign Thomas. So look for Thomas to hit the open market in March and get overpaid as a player that benefited greatly from Peyton Manning's presence. Julius will be asking for something just below the four-year, $40M deal Jimmy Graham got in July.

Source: ESPN.com
Feb 12 - 9:11 AM
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Faust said:
Rotoworld:

According to ESPN's Jeff Legwold, free agent Julius Thomas has made it clear to the Broncos he wants to be among the highest-paid tight ends in the league.

When healthy, Thomas has shown he can be a dominant mismatch creator -- especially in the red zone. But he's been injured in three of his four NFL seasons, often hampered by cumbersome ankle issues. And with the Broncos shifting to more of a run-based attack under Gary Kubiak, it would be a surprise if they ponied up the cash to re-sign Thomas. So look for Thomas to hit the open market in March and get overpaid as a player that benefited greatly from Peyton Manning's presence. Julius will be asking for something just below the four-year, $40M deal Jimmy Graham got in July.

Source: ESPN.com

Feb 12 - 9:11 AM
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Zero chance DEN pays him near that. Bye Julius, back to fantasy irrelevance.

 
If not for the injury issues plaguing him, he would be worth that kind of money, even sans Manning. As long as he doesn't go to a team with complete garbage at QB, Thomas is extremely athletic and has very good hands overall. He's not entirely a product of Manning.

 
bucsbaby said:
If not for the injury issues plaguing him, he would be worth that kind of money, even sans Manning. As long as he doesn't go to a team with complete garbage at QB, Thomas is extremely athletic and has very good hands overall. He's not entirely a product of Manning.
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I agree. He also could end up in a situation (like Jimmy Graham and Gronk) where there are not 5 other stud options on offense, and he is more of a focal point between the 20s. That said, if he ends up in Tennessee or Jacksonville - or someplace like that, he does drop out of the top 10 regardless of his talent.

 
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.

 
georg013 said:
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.
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I think he can be very productive in the right situation. A landing spot like Atlanta would be tremendous.

 
georg013 said:
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.
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Somewhat agree. My guess is that Elway will sign Clay from Miami for several million cheaper than Thomas and get 85% or more of his production.

 
georg013 said:
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.
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He will be big, strong, fast, with good hands in any offense. He is a red zone dream for any QB. Of course, Manning adds fantasy points to just about any player, but I disagree that JT becomes obsolete if he leaves Denver, with the disclaimer that if he ends up in below average offense with a below average QB, all bets are off. But that goes for a lot of players.

 
Doesn't Denver have over 25M in cap space this year and almost double that next year right now? Seems like enough money to sign DT and franchise JT which would be the smart move if Manning is back for one more season.

 
Baloney Sandwich said:
Doesn't Denver have over 25M in cap space this year and almost double that next year right now? Seems like enough money to sign DT and franchise JT which would be the smart move if Manning is back for one more season.
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Agreed, the issue is getting DT to sign long term. If he hasn't signed a deal by free agency, they have to franchise him.

 
ChuckLiddell said:
georg013 said:
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.
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He will be big, strong, fast, with good hands in any offense. He is a red zone dream for any QB. Of course, Manning adds fantasy points to just about any player, but I disagree that JT becomes obsolete if he leaves Denver, with the disclaimer that if he ends up in below average offense with a below average QB, all bets are off. But that goes for a lot of players.
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If he leaves Denver I think a lot of places he could got that would actually be better.

Different position but a good example would be Vincent Jackson. Went from Rivers to inferior QB's but became a better fantasy player because of increased usage. JT has averaged 5.6 targets a game the past two seasons which works out to 90 in a season. Last season 11 TE's had more targets than 90 with 4 in the 120+ range. Since he can't block one would assume that if a team signed him it's to use him in the passing game. If he can get up into that 120 type target range I think he'll a better fantasy player even if he's way less efficient.

With him I worry more about his ankles than landing spot.

 
I worry about his run-blocking ability. He is not a complete TE...he is an oversized WR who lacks top-end route running ability. Julius would be a terrible fit for any team that wants to lean on a running game, Denver included.

I think the Broncos make minimal effort to resign, knowing his salary expectations.

 
Julius Thomas is a product of playing with Manning unlike Demarius Thomas who is a stud on his own. Someone will probably over pay for Julius and Manning will get along fine with a Tamme type Tight End who will put up better numbers than Julius.

 
massraider said:
Has there ever been a more unpopular 10 TD-scoring TE?

Man, this guy might be a bit underrated at this point.
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Well how many TE's play with a QB who throws 50 TD's a season. in an offense that has 25-30 passing TD's how many would he get?

 
medstudent said:
Julius Thomas is a product of playing with Manning unlike Demarius Thomas who is a stud on his own. Someone will probably over pay for Julius and Manning will get along fine with a Tamme type Tight End who will put up better numbers than Julius.
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We don't know this, this isn't a fact. He was plagued with injuries before. Obviously losing Peyton would be detrimental, but theres no reason he can't be successful on another team.

 
moleculo said:
I worry about his run-blocking ability. He is not a complete TE...he is an oversized WR who lacks top-end route running ability. Julius would be a terrible fit for any team that wants to lean on a running game, Denver included.

I think the Broncos make minimal effort to resign, knowing his salary expectations.
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Agreed.

Plus, considering how TE-friendly Gary Kubiak's offense is, he can probably find a cheap TE or two to catch a lot of those red zone passes. JT's high TD total the last two years has disguised the fact that he doesn't do a lot between the 20s. I can't count how many games it wasn't like he wasn't even playing and then he'd catch a TE down close. He is no Gronk or Jimmy Graham.

 
Ghost Rider said:
moleculo said:
I worry about his run-blocking ability. He is not a complete TE...he is an oversized WR who lacks top-end route running ability. Julius would be a terrible fit for any team that wants to lean on a running game, Denver included.

I think the Broncos make minimal effort to resign, knowing his salary expectations.
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Agreed.

Plus, considering how TE-friendly Gary Kubiak's offense is, he can probably find a cheap TE or two to catch a lot of those red zone passes. JT's high TD total the last two years has disguised the fact that he doesn't do a lot between the 20s. I can't count how many games it wasn't like he wasn't even playing and then he'd catch a TE down close. He is no Gronk or Jimmy Graham.
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That very well may be true, but there are a lot more viable options for the Broncos offensively between the 20s than there are for the Pats or Saints. Not to say that there arent other weapons on those teams, but there are not other options that are comparable to DT, or Sanders. Welker would be a decent comp for what those other offenses have at their disposal as secondary options to the TE. That makes Graham and Gronk much more desirable and necessary in between the 20s than JT. Those guys are like WR1s on their teams.

I not suggesting that JT is in their class with regard to talent. Just saying that with the offenses being what they are, it may not be a completely fair comparison. Its very possible that JT would put up better numbers in New Orleans or New England than he did in Denver given the "less mouths to feed" theory. Also possible he flops given the "Manning inflated numbers theory". Both seem possible to me.

When I watch JT, I see a mismatch versus most LBs and many safeties. Too fast for the LBs, and too big for the safeties. He is bordering on freak with his size/speed combo. I personally think he will be tough to cover on any offense - but that doesnt mean that the QB will be able to get the ball to him.

 
By the numbers, JT is a horrific blocker and top few in the league in receiving metrics but not super elite. Concerning health. Pretty young. To me he is a great, glorified WR in a TE's body. If some team is going to focal that he may be OK. Obviously, there are TD's galore with Manning.

Perhaps a better understanding of JT's value would be to look at how many yards he'll come up with to supplement the lack of TD's he'll have in a different offense. But he's not a Gronk or Jimmy in terms of receiving prowess. His 2014 was worse than 2013 due to injuries. Do the injuries slow him and keep him out of the lineup?

I have a horse in the race. Debating whether he's one of my six keepers. Keep him or a third/4th running back. Ultimately I'll be measuring rarity. He's rare but I don't see his output ever increasing. In fact between injuries and a lesser offense, I see substantial potential for decline.

If he signs with the Broncos and Peyton comes back, I might take that high water mark to sell high.

 
It's true, Manning throws a ton of TD's and until whatever went wrong late in the season last year, the Broncos were a pass happy team. But if you watched those games closely, JT was not even being targeted between the 20's. There were times I didn't even know if he was in the game. It's tough when you have so many weapons at your disposal.

To me, I see him as a very special receiving talent at TE. He's big, fast and strong and runs very good routes. He's a matchup nightmare anywhere on the field, in my opinion. His blocking appears to be a major issue, but I don't see why that can't be at least partially resolved with coaching.

Anyway, if he goes to a team that will make him a significant part of the game plan, I think he can easily be a top tier TE. In fact, I even think this if he goes to a team with a crappy of young QB. Those guys love the check downs and dump offs to big TE's. Just my two cents.

 
This is JT owners' worst nightmare...

The Florida Times Union believes free agent Julius Thomas would be a "perfect fit" for the Jaguars.
The Jags have a ton of cap space and a need for a mismatch-creating "move" tight end. Thomas would help Blake Bortles -- particularly in the red zone -- but his fantasy stock would plummet in Jacksonville. Dynasty owners of Orange Julius should be hoping Denver locks up Demaryius Thomas long term and slaps Julius with the franchise tag, though that seems unlikely.
 
ILUVBEER99 said:
massraider said:
Has there ever been a more unpopular 10 TD-scoring TE?

Man, this guy might be a bit underrated at this point.
Click to expand...
Well how many TE's play with a QB who throws 50 TD's a season. in an offense that has 25-30 passing TD's how many would he get?
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No one is asking that question about Demaryius.

Hey, I think he might be overpaid this spring, sure. He's not Gronk. I get that.

But he is still a matchup problem, and is a deep threat at TE. He's as dangerous in the passing game as any TE this side of Gronk and Graham. That's still pretty good.

Doesn't block, sure. Lack of blocking didn't seem to concern New Orleans when they re-signed Graham and the Saints have had a solid running game forever, with pretty average backs.

It's interesting to me that we have a TE that no LB in this league can cover consistently, and everyone is lining up to tell us how average he is.

 
I don't think blocking is that big of an issue, Manning obviously elevated JT to a degree but JT still passed the eyeball test as a receiver/route runner. I don't think hes the third best TE in the league, but hes up there with the better receiving TEs.

If a team asked him to come in and be a mismatch, his job is done at that point, he catches balls and terrorizes opposing defenders, you don't need a good QB to be productive in this situation - it obviously helps however.

 
Julius Thomas turned down huge deal, refused to “put it all out there”Most people assume that Julius Thomas will not be playing for the Broncos in 2015 but the reality is that it’s more than an assumption, it’s a certainty. Julius Thomas will aggressively enter the free agent market looking for just under 10 million dollars per season, with as much of it front-loaded as he can possibly find.

You see, for Julius Thomas this is a business opportunity and that’s it. Period. He is described by those around him as a guy who doesn’t love football and is threatened by the long term physical ramifications of the sport. According to one source close to the situation, “Julius Thomas plays football because he can but not because he has to. He has no long term aspirations for it and is not looking to make a lengthy career out of it.”

According to my source Julius Thomas was offered a contract that would pay him eight million dollars per year and he turned it down. This was at the beginning of the season before Thomas sat out for minor injuries and had his toughness questioned by an entire city. Things have drastically changed since then.

If you were wondering, eight million dollars per year would pay him only one million less than Rob Gronkowski’s average salary and two million less than Jimmy Graham’s.

“Julius is here to get his money and get out,” one teammate told me last week. “That’s just how some guys are. He didn’t grow up playing this game and it’s just not in his DNA to put it all out there.” When asked if Julius Thomas was soft like some say, he said, ” where there’s smoke, there’s fire.” According to the teammate, Julius Thomas was healthy enough to play multiple times last season but refused to. In one instance Julius Thomas was heard saying, “I’m about 90% – I’m getting close.”

To most NFL players, 90% is as good as new. Most can’t fathom the idea of sitting out at 90%. We would eventually find out that Peyton Manning, at 38 years old, played with a torn quad. To think that Julius Thomas put himself before the team, angered some players. “You have guys taking shots just to get through the half and this dude can’t even play with a minor sprain” one teammate told me. “You can’t win with guys like that,” he added.

Julius Thomas missed 28 total games in his first four years and a report like this may explain some of the reasoning behind it. 2014 brought more of the same. He sprained his ankle early in the Rams game in week 11 and after sitting out the next three games, never returned to form. In the final eight games of the 2014 season, he registered just 66 total receiving yards.

It’s tough to imagine another team offering Julius Thomas big time money knowing that he truly doesn’t have the “DNA to put it all out there” like his teammate insisted. But there are 32 teams in the NFL and one is bound to fall in love with idea of Julius Thomas catching touchdowns.
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Rotoworld:

The Cleveland Plain Dealer thinks the Browns could target free agent Julius Thomas.

It's a mere guess by writer Tom Reed, who isn't a Browns beat reporter, but is worth noting nonetheless. Jordan Cameron is a goner from Cleveland, and the Browns have a ton of cap room and a desperate need at tight end. If Thomas escapes Denver, we expect him to chase the money. The Browns wouldn't be the ideal spot, though one could make the case he'd be the de facto No. 1 receiver.

Related: Browns

Source: Cleveland Plain Dealer

Feb 16 - 6:36 PM
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Rotoworld:

Coach Gary Kubiak stated at the NFL Combine that the Broncos will do "everything we can" to retain free agents Julius and Demaryius Thomas.
This is the first open indication of the offseason that the Broncos want Julius back. Demaryius is a virtual lock to stay in Denver. Keeping Julius will be trickier, especially if the Broncos are forced to tag Demaryius. Our guess is that Demaryius stays and Julius goes, but it's not out of the question that the Broncos keep both. They'll just have to get creative.

Source: Sirius XM NFL Radio
Feb 18 - 11:53 AM
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Rotoworld:

The Broncos are not scheduled to speak with the player rep for free agent Julius Thomas at the NFL Combine, and the Denver Post reports "it is not promising" for Thomas' chances of re-signing.

Per the Post, Thomas "apparently wants to test free agency," which opens on March 10. The Broncos offered a deal that would've paid Julius $8 million annually last July, but he turned it down and experienced a recurrence of his early-career ankle problems late in the season. Longtime Gary Kubiak tight end Owen Daniels could be a cheap replacement for Thomas. The Broncos are also expected to re-sign free agent blocking TE Virgil Green.

Source: Denver Post
Feb 18 - 8:39 PM
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Rotoworld:

D. Orlando Ledbetter of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution expects the Falcons to target Julius Thomas in free agency.
After watching Levine Toilolo stumble through a dismal 2014 campaign, it's clear Atlanta will have to address tight end in free agency. Thomas is the best tight end on the market, but he won't come cheap. Last offseason, he turned down an offer from Denver that would have paid him $8 million annually. Thomas is a prime candidate to get overpaid in March thanks to his Peyton-inflated numbers.

Related: Falcons

Source: Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Feb 19 - 12:33 PM
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Rotoworld:

According to the player rep for free agent Julius Thomas, Thomas' late-season ankle injury was later diagnosed as torn ligaments.
It wasn't just a high ankle sprain that cost Thomas time and robbed him of his late-season explosion. When Julius' father felt his son's toughness was being questioned, Greg Thomas allegedly used Twitter to lash out at the Broncos, Peyton Manning, GM John Elway, and the team's contract proposals. Per the Denver Post, the sides "seem to be headed their separate ways."

Source: Denver Post
Feb 20 - 4:05 PM
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Rotoworld:

The Jaguars are expected to be among free agent Julius Thomas' most aggressive suitors.

The Broncos have resigned themselves to losing Thomas and riding with blocker Virgil Green in Gary Kubiak's run-based offense. Now the question is who will overpay for Thomas, a uniquely talented pass-catcher but one with a limited skill-set and inflated numbers courtesy of Peyton Manning. The Jaguars make sense as a team armed with the most cap space in the NFL and a need for weaponry as they try to develop Blake Bortles. Julius is going to try to squeeze Jimmy Graham (or more) kind of money out of the market in March, with the Falcons and Browns also possibly making bids.

Related: Falcons, Browns, Jaguars

Source: Denver Post
Feb 24 - 8:42 AM
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jumper said:
georg013 said:
Julius Thomas is a product of Peyton Manning in my opinion. He will make little noise if he isnt in a Broncos uniform next season with Manning directing the throws.
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Somewhat agree. My guess is that Elway will sign Clay from Miami for several million cheaper than Thomas and get 85% or more of his production.
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Kubiak does not use his TE much in the passing game. I think Clay would make more sense in the Kubiak system as he's a better blocker.

 
Rotoworld:

Profootballtalk's Mike Florio floats the Seahawks as a potential suitor for free agent Julius Thomas.
It's not a surprise after Seattle tried trading for tight ends during last October's Percy Harvin talks. They were known to be targeting Jordan Cameron. Like Cameron, Thomas is an athletic tight end with top-notch ball skills. Thomas' addition would knock Luke Willson down the totem pole in Seattle.

Related: Seahawks

Source: Profootballtalk on Twitter
Mar 6 - 3:51 PM
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@JasonPhilCole: Two sources indicating TE Julius Thomas is just about done/signed in Jacksonville

This probably paves the way for Jordan Cameron to Seattle

 
Steed said:
@JasonPhilCole: Two sources indicating TE Julius Thomas is just about done/signed in Jacksonville

This probably paves the way for Jordan Cameron to Seattle
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Maybe, but consider the source. The next story Jason Cole breaks will be his first.

 
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