The Denver Broncos have made a contract offer for blossoming tight end Julius Thomas. It's nowhere near the $40 million contract Jimmy Graham received from the New Orleans Saints.
USA TODAY Sports reported that Broncos general manager John Elway said the team intends to continue to negotiate deals with both Thomas and wide receiver Demaryius Thomas, both of whom are in the final years of their rookie contracts.
"Nothing is going to get done before camp, but we'll keep talking to them in camp," Elway told USA TODAY Sports. "I'm never going to go into the season, but the first couple of weeks, we can continue to talk about it. After the second week of the preseason, we'll want to have had something done, one way or another."
But Elway made it clear that the Broncos won't approach the record four-year contract Graham signed with the Saints, a record for tight ends in their negotiations with Julius Thomas.
"Even though Julius had a tremendous year for us, he's only (played) 23 games. We want Julius to be a Bronco for a long time and we think he has tremendous upside, but he's not at that level," Elway said.
Thomas had 65 receptions for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns in 14 games in Denver last season. He started just one game and played in nine during his previous injury-plagued two seasons.
Graham has recorded 85 receptions or more in each of the last three seasons and led the NFL with 16 touchdown receptions in 2014.
Elway added that Thomas' representatives have not yet responded to his initial offer but expect negotiations to occur soon, now that Graham's situation has been resolved.
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