In continuing a Monday for the Jacksonville Jaguars, they have found out that tight end Julius Thomas will be undergoing finger surgery and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the tight end "could be out a month." Julius Thomas signed a five-year, $42 million contract with the Jaguars back in March.
Julius Thomas suffered the injury on the first possession of the preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers after a two-yard reception, as he then afterwards ran to the sideline holding his middle finger and had it evaluated in the locker room. Early analysis had indicated that the Jaguars would only have to wait until the end of the preseason to get their big money tight end return. However, now it seems like the finger has gotten worse over the past two weeks.
General manager Dave Caldwell commented on Thomas' injury, "We thought it'd be touch-and-go for the opener, hopeful that he'd be ready, but if not [it would] be a worst-case scenario around Week 3. And now really worst-case scenario could be Week 4 as we're going into Indianapolis if he has to have the surgery."
It is also reported that the Julius Thomas may look to seek a second opinion to reduce the amount of games missed.
However, the Jags may not have to worry about the injury to Julius Thomas. There are currently four other tight ends on the roster in veteran tight ends Marcedes Lewis and Clay Harbor, as well as younger players Nic Jacobs and rookie seventh round selection Ben Koyack. Throughout the preseason, Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles has shown that he could throw across the field to the list of tight ends, even without Julius Thomas on the field, as Marcedes Lewis caught three passes last week for over 50 yards.
The Jaguars also have an influx of young wide receivers with Allen Robinson, who has been penned by many to be a breakout star for the Jaguars this season. Allen Hurns, who caught Bortles' first touchdown pass of the preseason. Jacksonville also has rookie wide receiver Rashad Greene and Marqise Lee, who is expected to return to the Jaguars by Week 1 of the regular season.
It will be intriguing to see how the Jaguars will progress without Julius Thomas to start the year, but as they say in the NFL, next man up.