With the seemingly inevitable departure of Julius Thomas today, Shannon Sharpe had a parting shot for his fellow TE. Sharpe said, “He quit on the Broncos making less than a mil. Give him 9 mil what would he do?”
Unfortunately, that isn’t the first time somebody has questioned Julius Thomas’ dedication. It’s been rumored for weeks that he was out for a payday and that he was unwilling to play even mildly hurt so as not to risk his potential big contract.
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Sharpe is clearly very connected to the Broncos organization and certainly has a feel for what was going on, but what’s done is done as far as the Broncos are concerned now.
Julius Thomas is a Jacksonville Jaguar and they will soon find out how dedicated he is, or isn’t, now that he’s gotten his big payday. I’ve always rooted for Julius and I wish him nothing but the best in Jacksonville, and I hope he plays well for the Jaguars for a number of reasons.
The more snaps Julius plays and the better he plays next year, in addition to his reported $9 million annual contract, will go a long way in deciding the level of compensatory pick the Broncos will receive. Just based on the salary the Broncos are more than likely in line for a 3rd round pick, but if Julius stays healthy and plays well, it should cement a 3rd rounder as compensation.
Meanwhile, if we’re playing devil’s advocate, the Broncos might not miss Julius as much as one might think seeing as how he was all but non-existent in the offense the 2nd half of the season, while the Broncos tried to make due with less adept pass-catchers on the roster.
Dec 28, 2014; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens tight end Owen Daniels (81) runs with the ball in the fourth quarter against the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Now heading into the start of free agency, the Broncos can replace Julius with a number of cheaper, yet still very effective options, be it Jordan Cameron, Owen Daniels, Ed Dickson, etc… Any number of pass catching TE’s would certainly enjoy a highly productive year catching passes from Peyton.
I’m sure a number of factors lead to John Elway’s decision to let Julius walk, but if there was any truth to what Shannon Sharpe had to say about Julius then it may have sealed his fate when considering the amount of money it would have taken to retain him as a Bronco. You simply can’t pay exorbitant amounts of money to a player who isn’t 100% committed to the team.