Free Agent TE Julius Thomas To Retire
Julius Thomas will step away from the NFL after seven seasons. The free agent tight end announced, via The Players’ Tribune, he intends to pursue a career in psychology and will be returning to school to pursue a doctorate degree.
The Dolphins released Thomas earlier this year, and the 30-year-old pass-catcher will move on from the sport. He spent four seasons with the Broncos, two with the Jaguars and played his final year in Miami.
“While making the decision to no longer play the game is difficult, I’m also incredibly excited about what’s next: Studying therapy and becoming well trained in it so that I can help people heal from their emotional and mental pain,” Thomas wrote.
One of the best basketball-to-football conversion stories, the former fourth-round pick out of Portland State was one of the most sought-after free agents in the game in 2015. He signed a five-year deal worth more than $46MM with Jacksonville, doing so after two dominant seasons in Denver.
Stationed as one of Peyton Manning‘s top targets, the former Division I-FCS talent caught 24 touchdown passes between the 2013 and ’14 seasons. He made the Pro Bowl both years and started in Super Bowl XLVIII. Thomas eclipsed Shannon Sharpe‘s franchise record for most touchdown grabs in a season by a tight end, hauling in 12 in back-to-back slates. While Thomas couldn’t replicate that production away from the future Hall of Fame passer, he totaled two more 40-reception seasons and played three years on that lucrative 2015 contract.
However, injuries played a significant role in Thomas’ career. He missed 28 games during his four Broncos seasons and 11 during his two Jags campaigns. While Thomas surmounted his early-career maladies at the right time, just as Manning set NFL records on explosive offenses, the 6-foot-5 tight end was hobbled for much of his career.
He intends to study the effects of CTE.
“Football has serious cognitive risks, but there’s still a lot to learn about the extent of them and ways they can be mitigated,” Thomas wrote. “The ability to assist with the latest research being done on brain trauma and the pursuit to better understand CTE. To study it not just from the perspective of a psychologist or a clinician, but also as a person who has played for several years at the highest level, is something that excites me. It fills me with a sense of purpose.”
Broncos WR Carlos Henderson Wants To Play
Broncos wide receiver Carlos Henderson is currently on the reserve/did not report list as he deals with a personal matter, but he today told Denver general manager John Elway that he wants to continue his career, reports Mike Klis of 9News (Twitter link). The Broncos will look into Henderson’s situation and make a call on him in the coming days, per Klis.
However, Henderson’s return to Denver may not be a simple undertaking, tweets Troy Renck of Denver7. Henderson has been accruing fines for missing training camp, and Denver likely doesn’t want to set a precedent by returning that money. As Renck notes, waiving such fines is typically a move reserved for star players that return from a holdout.
Henderson was selected in the third round of the 2017 draft, but has yet to see the field for the Broncos. The Louisiana Tech product — who managed 1,535 receiving yards, 15 touchdowns, and excelled as return man during his final collegiate season — suffered a thumb injury last summer which required surgery, and he was subsequently placed on injured reserve.
Even if he does return to Denver’s roster, Henderson is suspended for the first game of the season as a result of a January marijuana arrest.
Kaepernick Lawyer: Elway Violated Order
- Broncos GM John Elway violated the gag order issued in Colin Kaepernick‘s collusion case when he spoke about the quarterback last week, his agent alleges. “Mr. Elway, clearly he violated the protective order that the NFL has been wielding like a club at me,” attorney Mark Geragos said on his podcast (via Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports). “And he’s apparently suffering from some real brain trauma.”
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/21/18
We’ll keep track of today’s minor moves here:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived: G Kyle Bosch
Denver Broncos
- Re-signed: T Leon Johnson
Houston Texans
- Signed: CB Bryce Jones
- Waived/injured: CB Josh Thornton
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: LB Nick DeLuca
- Placed on injured reserve: S Don Carey
- Waived/left squad: LB Brooks Ellis
Minnesota Vikings
- Signed: C Jacob Judd
- Claimed off waivers: RB Luke McNitt
New Orleans Saints
- Waived: WR Josh Huff
- Waived/injured: S Rickey Jefferson
New York Jets
- Waived: WR Jonah Trinnaman
Oakland Raiders
- Claimed off waivers: CB Antwuan Davis (Lions)
- Waived/injured: CB Tevin Mitchel
San Francisco 49ers
- Waived from injured reserve: S Terrell Williams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Matt Weiser
- Waived/injured: TE Colin Jeter
Tennessee Titans
- Signed: LB Jeff Knox, LB Nyles Morgan, LB Deontae Skinner
- Waived: LB Brandon Chubb, LB Davond Dade, OL Matthew Diaz
Broncos To Cut OL Menelik Watson
The Broncos will release offensive lineman Menelik Watson, Mike Klis of 9News tweets. The Broncos will be left on the hook for his $5.5MM guarantee. 
Technically, Watson will first be placed on injured reserve with a pectoral injury. Then, when he’s healthy, he’ll be released and permitted to sign with any team. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter) hears that Watson’s pec strain should be cleared up in a couple of weeks, so it sounds like he’ll be able to catch on with another team before the season begins.
Watson came to Denver on a three-year, $18.75MM contract last year. Although he is talented, injuries have plagued him throughout his career. Last year, a foot injury shut Watson down in November, meaning that he has missed 48 career games out of 80 possible appearances for the Raiders and Broncos. The former second round pick has yet to play in more than 12 games in any given campaign.
This year, the Broncos were giving some thought to moving Watson from right tackle to guard, but they bailed on that experiment with a few weeks to go before the start of the season. Instead, the Broncos will start Ronald Leary and Connor McGovern at the guard spots with the likes of Max Garcia and Billy Turner in support. Tackle Cyrus Kouandjio and center Sam Jones may also be asked to play guard, if necessary.
Broncos Notes: Backup QB, Freeman, Lindsay
- Broncos head coach Vance Joseph was noncommittal when asked after last night’s preseason loss to the Bears if the team would pursue a veteran to back up starting QB Case Keenum. Per Jeff Legwold of ESPN.com (Twitter link), Joseph said, “Right now (Chad Kelly) is our guy. I can’t speak for two weeks down the road here. But right now he’s our backup quarterback.” Troy Renck of Denver 7 ABC says Kelly has been impressive in the preseason, but he would still be surprised if the Broncos do not add a veteran signal-caller (Twitter link).
- In a separate tweet, Renck passes along Joseph’s statement that the Broncos‘ running back competition is still open. Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post, however, reports (unsurprisingly) that rookie Royce Freeman appears to be the winner of the competition, as Denver clearly wants him to be the team’s lead back. Kiszla also points out that UDFA Phillip Lindsay has been sensational in the Broncos’ first two preseason games, and given Lindsay’s abilities on special teams, both Kiszla and Legwold (Twitter link) believe he has a real chance of making the roster.
Broncos Notes: Elway, Kaepernick
- John Elway shot down a Colin Kaepernick route to Denver, indicating the former 49ers quarterback turned down an offer in 2016. (Although, Brock Osweiler also turned down a 2016 offer only to return a year later.) But the Broncos GM did not rule out bringing in another veteran backup, Mike Klis of 9News notes. The Broncos demoted Paxton Lynch this week, and new second-stringer Chad Kelly has never thrown a regular-season pass. Matt Moore may be the top non-Kaepernick QB available.
- The 2016 summit between Kaepernick, Elway, Gary Kubiak and Broncos exec Matt Russell at Elway’s house was a “positive meet and greet,” according to Charles Robinson of Yahoo.com. The Broncos liked Kaepernick coming out of Nevada in 2011, and after the 2016 meeting, Kaepernick believed he was en route to becoming Denver’s next starter. However, he balked at taking a pay cut (one that would have reduced his salary to $7MM). Citing the double-standard for Osweiler — whom Robinson believes stirred up some hard feelings among Broncos execs by spurning them for the Texans — receiving a second chance in Denver and Kaepernick not being considered, the NFL reporter points to this being another checkmark in the Kaepernick-being-blackballed column.
- In his first 2019 mock draft, Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller has the Broncos selecting a cornerback in Round 1. Although All-Pro Chris Harris remains well-regarded as a Broncos cornerstone, Miller notes some in Denver’s front office aren’t sold on Bradley Roby as a long-term cog. Roby’s entering his contract year. Harris has two seasons left on his team-friendly deal. The Broncos selected Brendan Langley in the 2017 third round, but 2018 third-rounder Isaac Yiadom was the nickelback in Denver’s first preseason game in place of the injured Tramaine Brock.
Minor NFL Transactions: 8/16/18
Today’s minor moves:
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed: DL Albert Havili (from Chargers)
- Waived/Injured: DT Marquavius Lewis
Chicago Bears
- Signed: LS Tanner Carew
- Waived/Injured: LB Andrew Trumbetti
Denver Broncos
- Signed: DT DeQuinton Osborne
- Waived/injured: DT Paul Boyette
Broncos Won’t Consider Colin Kaepernick
The Broncos may be on the lookout for quarterback help, but they won’t be calling Colin Kaepernick. The polarizing athlete will not be in consideration for Denver, GM John Elway told reporters on Thursday (Twitter link via Lindsay Jones of USA Today). 
“He had a chance to be here, he passed on it,” Elway said.
The Broncos and 49ers discussed a possible Kaepernick trade at length in 2016, but the deal was nixed when the QB refused to trim $5MM from his ’16 cap number and take additional pay cuts in future seasons. Kaepernick lost the camp competition to Blaine Gabbert, but regained his starting job in Week 6. After the Niners went 2-14 with Kaepernick starting for eleven of those games, the two sides parted ways in the offseason.
The Broncos, meanwhile, went 9-7 that year as they failed to land a quarterback who could fill Peyton Manning‘s shoes. It’s debatable as to whether they would have been better off with Kaepernick under center (Kaepernick personally largely played well that year), but what we do know is that he will not be joining the Broncos this year.
Denver is in a better place overall after signing Case Keenum, but there’s still much to be figured out when it comes to the backup quarterback situation. For now, former Mr. Irrelevant Chad Kelly is slated to be the team’s No. 2 QB with Paxton Lynch in line for the No. 3 job.
Carlos Henderson Suspended One Game
Carlos Henderson has had a tough time so far in the NFL. After being taken with the 82nd overall pick in the 2017 draft by the Broncos, Henderson is yet to make his NFL debut. A hand injury cost him his entire rookie season, and he’s been away from the team this training camp for undisclosed reasons.