Pro Football Focus will be providing analysis for every major NFL signing and trade during the 2015 free-agency period, accounting primarily for the quality of the player and his fit with his new team, and focusing less on the financial terms of the deal.
Here is a grade for the reported deal between Julius Thomas and the Jacksonville Jaguars, which cannot become official until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.
Link to grade articles on every major deal
Jacksonville Jaguars: B-plus
The Jacksonville Jaguars stayed busy with the signing of former Denver Broncos tight end Julius Thomas, arguably the top tight end target on the market. Thomas instantly provides a versatile receiving threat that should put pressure on the defense, as he has the speed and size to create mismatches.
Thomas graded at plus-3.3 as a receiver in an injury-riddled 2014 after a breakout performance in 2013 that saw him grade at plus-9.5. That year, he caught 65 passes for 788 yards and 12 touchdowns, including 25 catches for 314 yards and four touchdowns when lined up in the slot. Defenses have a difficult time deciding whether a safety, linebacker or cornerback is best used to slow Thomas, so Jacksonville must move him around to maximize his value.
Never known as a great blocker, Thomas has at least shown improvement in the area, as he graded at plus-0.1 last season after a minus-11.5 performance in 2013 that was second-worst among tight ends. Still, he was signed to provide a versatile weapon for second-year quarterback Blake Bortles, and while his production likely won't touch his previous years when he had Peyton Manning throwing his way, Thomas is an instant upgrade to Jacksonville's receiving corps, and he'll be a key piece in Bortles' development.