03-03-2015, 08:57 AM
03-03-2015, 11:26 AM
Even with the Transition Tag, Charles Clay could be a high priority for the Jaguars if the team doesn't land Julius Thomas. That's assuming Thomas is a high priority.
The question then becomes will the Jaguars, with their tremendous salary cap situation, be willing to make a contract offer to Clay that the Dolphins feel that it's clearly in their best interest not matching? I'm not sure if Clay would be a high enough priority for the Jaguars to do that.
The question then becomes will the Jaguars, with their tremendous salary cap situation, be willing to make a contract offer to Clay that the Dolphins feel that it's clearly in their best interest not matching? I'm not sure if Clay would be a high enough priority for the Jaguars to do that.
03-03-2015, 02:25 PM
It'll be tough to pry Clay loose at this point, as the Dolphins are likely planning to match any offer made for him. They wouldn't have slapped the transition tag on him if they didn't have a pretty good idea of what his market was, and a good feeling that they could match whatever was offered to him (if anything).
Still, it's good to know that he'll likely be around if J. Thomas is gone. I still prefer Clay to Thomas, tbqh.
Still, it's good to know that he'll likely be around if J. Thomas is gone. I still prefer Clay to Thomas, tbqh.
03-03-2015, 02:40 PM
Quote:Even with the Transition Tag, Charles Clay could be a high priority for the Jaguars if the team doesn't land Julius Thomas. That's assuming Thomas is a high priority.
The question then becomes will the Jaguars, with their tremendous salary cap situation, be willing to make a contract offer to Clay that the Dolphins feel that it's clearly in their best interest not matching? I'm not sure if Clay would be a high enough priority for the Jaguars to do that.
We are making a strong push for Julius Thomas and a favorite landing spot for him. If he decides to go somewhere else, it would be much easier to draft a tight end than try to pry Charles Clay out of Miami, as we saw at the center position last year.
03-03-2015, 02:48 PM
Quote:We are making a strong push for Julius Thomas and a favorite landing spot for him. If he decides to go somewhere else, it would be much easier to draft a tight end than try to pry Charles Clay out of Miami, as we saw at the center position last year.
I'm just curious how you know we're making a strong push for Julius Thomas. Most of what the media says is throwing darts against the wall and hoping they get it right.
For all we know the Jaguars may think the only reason Julius Thomas has done anything is because Peyton Manning is his qb and with another qb he could be below average.
With free agency and the draft, I don't believe anything until I see it.
03-03-2015, 02:50 PM
Quote:We are making a strong push for Julius Thomas and a favorite landing spot for him. If he decides to go somewhere else, it would be much easier to draft a tight end than try to pry Charles Clay out of Miami, as we saw at the center position last year.
An uncertain part of the equation is to what extent the Jaguars brass values draft flexibility. If this is a top priority, I expect the Jaguars will make a substantial effort in landing one of the top veteran TE's on the open market that fits with the vision the team brass has at the position. Even if Julius Thomas ends up signing with another team.
03-03-2015, 02:59 PM
Quote:An uncertain part of the equation is to what extent the Jaguars brass values draft flexibility. If this is a top priority, I expect the Jaguars will make a substantial effort in landing one of the top veteran TE's on the open market that fits with the vision the team brass has at the position. Even if Julius Thomas ends up signing with another team.
I could see the Jags picking up a decent tight end in the 3rd or 4th, but he's not on the upper tier and always tougher to tell how they will turn out.
03-03-2015, 02:59 PM
There are a number of free agent TEs that would provide a good fit and "move TE"-upgrade for the Jags, even if Thomas and Clay are off the market. The Jags would not be forced into the draft as their sole option.
03-03-2015, 03:05 PM
Quote:I could see the Jags picking up a decent tight end in the 3rd or 4th, but he's not on the upper tier and always tougher to tell how they will turn out.
I can envision this as well.
Under this scenario, there's a good chance the Jaguars would have also made a FA addition at TE who the team brass believes can be an asset as a # 1 or # 2 TE.
03-03-2015, 03:07 PM
Quote:I'm just curious how you know we're making a strong push for Julius Thomas. Most of what the media says is throwing darts against the wall and hoping they get it right.
For all we know the Jaguars may think the only reason Julius Thomas has done anything is because Peyton Manning is his qb and with another qb he could be below average.
With free agency and the draft, I don't believe anything until I see it.
So you don't believe any NFL.com reports about the Jaguars being very likely to pick up Julius Thomas? Check this one out:
Quote:The Jaguars will be "among the most aggressive pursuers," writes Mike Klis of the Denver Post. The Florida Times-Union agrees that Thomas is a "perfect fit" for a Jags offense desperately in need of a premier red-zone threat.
03-03-2015, 03:10 PM
Quote:So you don't believe any NFL.com reports about the Jaguars being very likely to pick up Julius Thomas? Check this one out:No. You shouldn't believe everything about what you hear from NFL.com.
Take what they say with a grain of salt. Most of the time they're wrong. Especially with FA.
Go back and see if you can find their 2014 NFL Free Agent predictions and how many they got right.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000...ding-spots
03-03-2015, 03:22 PM
Thomas is going to be pursued by a number of teams, likely including a cash-loaded Jags organization due to fit and need. I would phrase it that the Jags are one of the front-runners for his services. I think it is pushing it a little to indicate that it is 'very likely' the Jags will pick him up.
03-03-2015, 03:25 PM
Quote:No. You shouldn't believe everything about what you hear from NFL.com.
Take what they say with a grain of salt. Most of the time they're wrong. Especially with FA.
Go back and see if you can find their 2014 NFL Free Agent predictions and how many they got right.
<a class="bbc_url" href='http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000326438/article/eric-decker-to-raiders-predicting-free-agents-landing-spots'>http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap2000000326438/article/eric-decker-to-raiders-predicting-free-agents-landing-spots</a>
NFL.com had terrible predictions.
03-03-2015, 03:32 PM
Quote:NFL.com had terrible predictions.
Of the 6 players highlighted in the article, the only player that landed with 1 of the 3 teams mentioned with each player was FA bust RB Ben Tate.
03-03-2015, 03:37 PM
Quote:Of the 6 players highlighted in the article, the only player that landed with 1 of the 3 teams mentioned with each player was FA bust RB Ben Tate.
Jeez. Even when they're right, they're still wrong.
03-03-2015, 03:42 PM
Quote:So you don't believe any NFL.com reports about the Jaguars being very likely to pick up Julius Thomas? Check this one out:
It's all nothing but speculation.
03-03-2015, 03:45 PM
Quote:Jeez. Even when they're right, they're still wrong.
That's what I was thinking.
While the Browns have more than enough salary cap space to overcome that Ben Tate didn't last an entire season with them, one thing the Browns can't get back is the mistake signing Tate had on their 2014 season. In addition to his subpar performance on the field, Tate wasn't exactly the type of veteran leader that the team could have used to aid in Johnny Manziel's development.
03-03-2015, 07:17 PM
Smart move by Miami especially if they believe he's really over inflating his value. Let him see his value, at somewhat, on the open market and let another team do the dirty work of negotiating. He's an underrated TE and I was really hoping he'd be unrestricted.