Jaguars TE Julius Thomas (finger) could miss four weeks

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas could need finger surgery that would keep him out for four weeks.

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Julius Thomas could need surgery to repair a tendon in his finger that would keep him out for four weeks, general manager Dave Caldwell told reporters Monday.

“My understanding is that if he does need it, it only pushes him back a couple of weeks in terms of his return time,” Caldwell said, according to The Florida Times-Union. “He was going to be 50-50 for the opener. We would hope if everything went well it should be four weeks from the surgery where he'd be back to full strength.”

Thomas will receive a second opinion on Tuesday, Caldwell added. 

Jags head coach Gus Bradley said two weeks ago that Thomas would sit out the remainder of the preseason after breaking his left hand in the team’s first exhibition game. He was initially expected to be cleared to return for the season opener. 

Thomas signed a five-year, $46 million contract in March, making him the league’s highest-paid tight end. Thomas was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the last two seasons while playing with the Denver Broncos. He had 43 catches for 489 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2014. 

- Dan Gartland