Before the Dolphins officially welcome tight end Julius Thomas to Miami, they’ll need to welcome him to Miami for a physical. Via Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, it’s happening on Tuesday.
And it’s more than an exercise in dotting i’s and crossing t’s. As Salguero notes, Thomas hasn’t played in 16 games at any point in his career. In 2016 alone, Thomas had a fractured tailbone, a back injury, an elbow injury, and an ankle injury.
Since becoming a full-time starter in 2013, Thomas has missed 16 total games -- a full season of missed playing time in four NFL campaigns. His best year came in 2013, when he caught 65 passes for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns. He added 12 more (but with 299 fewer yards) in 2014. In two seasons with Jacksonville, Thomas has a total of nine touchdown receptions.
A reunion with former Broncos offensive coordinator Adam Gase could get Thomas back into the end zone more often. Salguero pointed out on Tuesday’s PFT Live that Thomas would arrive with more experience in the Gase system than any other player on the roster.