Julius Thomas Coming to Jacksonville? Pretty Close
By Luke Sims
Julius Thomas’s services earned a ton of value with the re-signing of Randall Cobb by the Green Bay Packers yesterday. He’s a pass catching tight end poised to become the safety outlet and game opening receiving option for a young quarterback.
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With some reports that Thomas to Jacksonville is pretty much “done”
the Jaguars should breathe happy, knowing they are getting one of the premiere players available in the 2015 NFL Free Agency Period. They may have missed out on Cobb, but getting Thomas will automatically bolster the passing offense, providing a reliable option at tight end, a role
Marcedes Lewis has failed to succeed at in recent years
.
Blake Bortles isn’t Peyton Manning, but I think we can expect Thomas to help up his productivity during his second season in the NFL. He struggled at times last season, failing to find receivers who could hang onto his passes.
Thomas has had 12 touchdowns each of the last two seasons and has amassed an impressive 1,277 yards during that same period. The Jags are more than happy to pay for that kind of proven productivity (the same way they were willing to pay for Randall Cobb’s, had he hit the market). Julius Thomas will help invigorate an offense that passed for just 15 total touchdowns in 2014.
A concern with Thomas is his blocking ability. While his proficiency in the receiving department cannot be denied, he will have to show he can take strides in blocking if he hopes to be a stronger all around player. The Jaguars desperately need a player who can be a dependable blocker when called upon. For Lewis’s faults in the receiving game, he is a dependable blocker, suggesting that the Jags could be willing to keep him on in that role even if Julius Thomas does come to Jacksonville. Who knows, having another reliable tight end on the team could revitalize Lewis’s receiving career, too.