Can Gase, Thomas regain some magic?
Editor's note: With the start of Dolphins’ training camp tomorrow, the Sun Sentinel ends its look at some of the team's top storylines on the eve of the 2017 season. Today, Omar Kelly tackles whether offseason addition JuliusThomasand coach Adam Gase can recreate the success they had in Denver.
Reunions can either be wonderful experiences, or a stroll down memory lane that turns into a train wreck.
It’s hard to determine which side of the coin Julius Thomas’ reunion with Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase will end up on, but the expectations for the 30-year-old tight end are fairly high based on the magic those two madetogether back in 2013 and 2014.
In those two seasons Thomas caught 24 touchdowns for the Broncos with Gase serving as Denver’s offensive coordinator and playcaller. But that level of production was with future Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning behind the trigger of anoffense thathadfew— if any—flaws.
Thomas, a six-year veteran, followed up those dynamic seasons with two disappointing years in Jacksonville, where he caught 89 passes from Blake Bortles for 825 yards and scored nine touchdowns.
It is important to point out that Bortles isn’t in Manning’s stratosphere, and that the Jaguars didn’t know how to utilize Thomas properly. But it is also critical to point out that Thomas couldn’t stay healthy in Jacksonville, and has seemingly lost a step based on his unimpressive organized team activities and minicamp showing in Miami this spring.
Gase believes Thomas’ is wiser, and still just as athletic as he was in his Denver days. Therefore, the former college basketball player should be able to help Miami’s offense, especially between the hash marks, and in the red zone.
Expecting Thomas to produce like he did in Denver is unrealistic because Ryan Tannehill has struggled to properly utilize every tight end he’s played with, with the exception of Charles Clay. However, it is reasonable to expect Thomas to make the Dolphins amore efficientteam in the red zone, and to do that he’ll need to score touchdowns.
Thomas and veteran tight end Anthony Fasano, another offseason addition, should at least be more productive than Jordan Cameron and Dion Sims were in 2016. If they aren’t, the Dolphins’ front office made a huge mistake this offseason.
Dolphins’ training camp schedule: Thursday, 8:20 a.m.; Friday, 8:20 a.m.; Saturday, 8:20 a.m.; Sunday, 8:20 a.m.; Monday, 8:20 a.m.; Aug. 2, 8:45 a.m.; Aug. 3, 8:20 a.m.; Aug. 4, 8:20 a.m.; Aug. 7, 8:45 a.m.; Aug. 8, 8:20 a.m.; Aug. 13, 8:20 a.m.; Aug. 14, 8:20 a.m.; Aug.15, 8:20 a.m.
All open practices will take place at the Baptist Health Training Facility at Nova Southeastern University in Davie; Practice times are subject to change, for the most updated information call 954-452-7004or go toDolphins.com/TrainingCamp