Julius Thomas Injury Update: Jaguars TE out for Preseason with Fractured Finger

The Jacksonville Jaguars offense was dealt a blow Friday night when star tight end Julius Thomas fractured his left hand in a preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

Per ESPN's Michael DiRocco, the Jaguars announced Saturday that Thomas' injury will keep him out for the final three preseason games.

Even though Thomas will miss time to build a rapport with quarterback Blake Bortles, Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley did sound cautiously optimistic about the recovery time for the 27-year-old, according to NFL.com. 

"The good news is that it's quick healing ... The tough news is that he is going to be out probably the rest of preseason," Bradley said. "But hopefully, if everything works alright, he'll be back ready for the first game."

“I was able to see him at the last second and I made sure I got my feet off the ground to protect my knees,” Thomas said, per Ryan O'Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. “I got flipped over and after the play, everything felt good but I looked down and my finger was a little messed up.” He continued:

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Thomas figured the finger was dislocated. “I was hoping they could pop it back in and I could keep going, but the doctor wanted to get it looked at,” he said.

The x-Rays showed the fracture. Thomas underwent further tests this morning but no additional damage was discovered.

[...]

“I’d rather break a bone in my hand than my leg,” he said. “Those plays are tough. You have to make sure you get your feet off the ground.”

“The good thing is, it’s not going to stop me from running around and I’ll participate in all that I can,” he said. “I feel pretty good in the system.”

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Injuries have been a problem for Thomas throughout his NFL career, which is why the five-year deal Jacksonville gave him in the offseason carried a lot of risk.  

In four seasons with the Denver Broncos, Thomas never played all 16 games. He did establish himself as a dangerous red-zone threat with 24 touchdowns over the past two years, something the Jaguars hope to take advantage of in 2015. 

Unfortunately, due to Thomas' latest injury, the questions about his ability to stay healthy are only going to get louder.