Miami Dolphins have high hopes for healthy Julius Thomas

The Miami Dolphins have high hopes for tight end Julius Thomas, who is reuniting with former offensive coordinator Adam Gase…

The Miami Dolphins are excited about the possibilities within their offense in 2017, and for good reason. They didn’t lose much by trading away Branden Albert, but they gained what they feel can be a game-changing tight end in Julius Thomas.

Thomas was once a standout for the Denver Broncos when he was under the direction of then offensive coordinator Adam Gase. Gase, along with quarterback Peyton Manning, helped to make Thomas into a Pro Bowl tight end and one of the premiere receivers at his position in the game.

Now that he’s back with Gase, and an upgrade at quarterback in Ryan Tannehill, Thomas should be set up really well for success. So much so, in fact, that Miami Dolphins offensive coordinator Clyde Christensen said he thinks Thomas can reach the 10 touchdown mark again this season.

"“If Julius Thomas is healthy and we catch some breaks, he can be and has been a 10-touchdown guy. That’s a big number. He can be that. The thing I’d tell you about Julius that’s been most impressive to me is what a pro he is. I happened to have dinner with him when he came on his (visit) and that’s a thing that jumped out. I left the restaurant going ‘This guy’s a pro.'”Clyde Christensen, ESPN.com"

There’s nothing wrong with a little optimism at this time of year. Thomas has scored double digit touchdowns twice in his NFL career (2013, 2014) and he did so in 2013 along with four other Broncos players who also had double digit touchdowns that year.

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I’m not saying we’ll see that kind of production from the Dolphins’ offense this year, but with so many mouths to feed, there may not be that many touchdowns to go around. Thomas automatically gives the Dolphins more legitimacy in the red zone, and should be an instant threat there.

Scoring 10 touchdowns seems like a lofty prediction, but Thomas could very well reach it. He struggled after getting a big money deal from the Jacksonville Jaguars, but perhaps the humbling experience of being traded for basically nothing can help motivate him to be the player he once was.

Injuries could play a role in all of this, too. However, if Thomas can stay healthy, there’s no reason why Christensen’s projection of 10 or more touchdowns shouldn’t come true.