Life without Julius Thomas will continue for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported Tuesday that Thomas underwent a second opinion on his injured finger and will undergo surgery on Wednesday, according to a source informed of his health situation. He could miss up to a month.
The news comes one day afterJaguars general manager Dave Caldwell acknowledged surgery was on the table for Thomas, who signed a five-year, $46 million contract with the Jaguars in the offseason. Thomas suffered a stable fracture in his left hand in the first quarter of the preseason opener against the Steelers. On Wednesday, he traveled to St. Louis and met with Dr. Richard Gelberman, who recommended surgery.
Caldwell said the most "realistic" scenario has Thomas making his Jaguars debut in the team's Week 4 tilt against the Indianapolis Colts.
Thomas' absence is a major bump in the road for the Jags, who are counting on the tight end to speed the development of second-year quarterback Blake Bortles. Backup tight end Clay Harbor will take on a bigger role for the time being. Wide receivers Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee -- a.k.a. The Albino Tiger -- are all in line for additional targets until the big-money tight end returns.
