Julius Thomas Contract: Latest News and Rumors on Negotiations with Broncos

The Denver Broncos are emerging as a strong championship contender once again thanks in large part to their explosive offense. Julius Thomas plays a vital role in that success, but his status highlights some tough decisions that may lie ahead for the front office.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports the team is going to wait until after the season to get serious about re-signing the star tight end or fellow Peyton Manning target Demaryius Thomas:

Schefter added more on the team's negotiations with its star tight end:

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The Broncos have only one franchise tag to use between the two, meaning that if Denver cannot re-sign one Thomas between the end of the season and the start of free agency, the other one will be allowed to hit the market and leave if he receives a better offer.

The Broncos have negotiated with both men, but with neither close to a deal, Denver recognizes that it will have to wait until after the season to address it again.

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It was a topic previously discussed before the season began. There were no agreements reached, however, and then, the focus shifted.

Mike Klis of The Denver Post passed along comments from Orange Julius, who expressed his outlook quite simply: "Can't worry about it. Got to play football."

Klis also passed along what he was hearing about talks between Thomas and the Broncos:

A matchup nightmare for opposing defenses, he's already caught nine touchdowns in six games to go along with 28 catches for over 300 yards. A strong argument could be made that's he the most important player on that side of the ball, outside of Manning.

With the Broncos seemingly deciding to wait until after the season to advance negotiations, things will have to move quickly. Losing either Thomas would be a significant setback, but given all of their high-profile players and the big deals they deserve, tough choices may need to get made.