Raanan: FWIW Jaguars Head Coach Bradley on J.T. Thomas

a lot and couldn't figure out why so many people overlooked his signing. I didn't know m]uch about him at first, but the more I read about him I think we got a steal.

Could really solidify our LBs with him and Kennard, McClain on running downs, Casillas maybe on obvious passing downs.

In comment 12201051 chopperhatch said:

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a lot and couldn't figure out why so many people overlooked his signing. I didn't know m]uch about him at first, but the more I read about him I think we got a steal. Could really solidify our LBs with him and Kennard, McClain on running downs, Casillas maybe on obvious passing downs.

j

I love it as well

.

his former player.

before he signed except for his performance against the Giants last year. I do like the signing and he has a similar story to Antonio Pierce. Pierce was undrafted and finally got to start during the final year of his rookie contract and we know the rest. Now I am not saying Thomas is going to be as good as Pierce but I think he will definitely start and play well. I expect Thomas to start at SLB but in the likely event that Beason gets injured he can shift over to MLB if the Giants wish. Even if Thomas doesn't start he will get a lot of playing time especially on 3rd down.

Getting faster at LB with guys who actually play is not a bad thing

when the Giants signed Antonio Pierce. We were all fixated on them signing the big name MLBs like Kendrell Bell and when they signed Pierce who started only one year with the lowly Redskins we were all like WTF! Lets hope we can catch lightning in the bottle twice.

so I wasn't sure what to think. He put up decent numbers though and I've read nothing but positives about him. Thomas competing for one of the outside LBer spots might be one of the better camp battles.

To anchor the MIKE once Beason inevitably goes down

Don't worry, if he does really well there won't be one person who said anything bad about the signing....

starter for NY Giants. Sad.

He played well for us but he was going to be a backup again was what I got out of it. I think he is an upgrade over what we had last year and would much rather have a player with his speed than a guy like Herzlich who I still cant figure out why we signed him for more than the league min.

I dont know anything about this kid but we needed to upgrade team speed on D. It doesnt seem like there was a lot out there as far as FAs. Seems like we added a lot of decent depth and my fav signing is Ellis, Thomas is probably my second fav if only because of his speed and his health.

IMO.

Instead paid decent money to 49er backup OL Dan Skuta.

Different priorities, I guess. Hoping he works out for NYG.

In comment 12201078 Big Blue '56 said:

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In comment 12201051 chopperhatch said: Quote: a lot and couldn't figure out why so many people overlooked his signing. I didn't know m]uch about him at first, but the more I read about him I think we got a steal. Could really solidify our LBs with him and Kennard, McClain on running downs, Casillas maybe on obvious passing downs. j I love it as well

What a total fucking shock

In comment 12201208 Rudy5757 said:

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He played well for us but he was going to be a backup again was what I got out of it.

You know that Paul Posluszny is one of the best MLBs in the NFL, right?

In comment 12201260 Joey in VA said:

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In comment 12201078 Big Blue '56 said: Quote: In comment 12201051 chopperhatch said: Quote: a lot and couldn't figure out why so many people overlooked his signing. I didn't know m]uch about him at first, but the more I read about him I think we got a steal. Could really solidify our LBs with him and Kennard, McClain on running downs, Casillas maybe on obvious passing downs. j I love it as well What a total fucking shock

GFY asswipe!

stink. Can only go up form Rock bottom so I do not see how any additions could be worse.

Hopefully the China Doll will be able to contribute as well. I will not hold my breath though. Likely going to be another long year on the defensive side. Pressure will be on Eli and the offense to drop 30 burgers on the opposition all year long.

Goal should be for the unit to at least start trending upward from being one of the worst in the NFL.

at the game he played vs the Giants ..dude played his ass off.I think this guy is going to be a player a player

Is the HC going to publicly say 'I wanted him back but we couldn't afford him and Poz?' or 'Sure he had 84 tackles/2FF/2INT/5PDF but we really didn't want him here?'

Coachspeak...

In comment 12201260 Joey in VA said:

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In comment 12201078 Big Blue '56 said: Quote: In comment 12201051 chopperhatch said: Quote: a lot and couldn't figure out why so many people overlooked his signing. I didn't know m]uch about him at first, but the more I read about him I think we got a steal. Could really solidify our LBs with him and Kennard, McClain on running downs, Casillas maybe on obvious passing downs. j I love it as well What a total fucking shock

The important question is - what do his calves look like, Joey? Are they too lumpy?

wouldn't have cracked the Jags lineup but with us a starter.

How good can he be.

In comment 12201485 PatersonPlank said:

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How good can he be.

Actually, their defense was fairly good last year and not the major problem. He filled in for Poz pretty well and brings nice athleticism to the position. Something we've been lacking for quite some time.

as Jose Canseco would say...Thomas, Casillas and Newhouse sound like minimal upgrades to J-Will, Paysinger and Charles Brown.

I guess its possible that a few players are pretty good there, but I'm not so sure that a sub will be an upgrade.

for Thomas. Liked him since his WVU days. Concerning a comment above, Pierce made the Pro Bowl for the Redskins the season before the Giants signed him. Back to JT, when Beason gets hurt again, the Giants can play him at Mike instead McLain.

I especially like the bit at the end, with Mark Duffner, the Miami linebackers coach. Duffner held the same position with Jacksonville for eight seasons before resigning last year, so he had Thomas in 2013. That was the year Thomas climbed from September waiver-wire pickup to the Jaguars' fourth LB.
J.T. Thomas wired: JAX vs. MIA 2014. - ( New Window )

... as having "good" or "bad" character - either putting them on a pedestal or condemning them for one or two publicized incidents. Apparently, the Giants think the real J.T. Thomas is closer to the young man who took a girl with spina bifida to her 8th grade dance after they met through Thomas's autistic brother - the hero who started a foundation for disabled kids - than the dumbass who got busted for possession in 2012.
Good News. - ( New Window )

Previously linked, but worth reposting.
More good news. - ( New Window )

Here's the ESPN story on the 2012 drug arrest. As mentioned in the last paragraph, Thomas also had a prior offense - an Ahmad Bradshaw-like incident involving a stolen laptop.

As for Thomas the player, he seems to have improved steadily during his two years in Jacksonville. He's a Giant because New York was willing to pay him starter money, and the Jaguars weren't.

Getting waived by the 2013 Bears doesn't say much for him, since their defense was horrible. The circumstances are somewhat mitigating. At the time of those final cuts, Chicago had a new coaching staff and three veteran starters, and they had drafted Jonathan Bostic and Khaseem Greene plus the DE/OLB 'tweener Cornelius Washington. The way things turned out, the Bears probably could have used Thomas: D.J. Williams and Lance Briggs went down in October, and the defense collapsed.
I hope he has learned to hide his weed better. - ( New Window )

Jacksonville's DC, Bob Babich, was Lovie Smith's LB coach in Chicago. So he had Thomas for two years, and obviously had a voice in the 2013 waiver claim, which is good.

On the other hand, Raanan is right that, instead of opening their overstuffed wallet to retain Thomas, Jacksonville gave $8MM guaranteed to Dan Skuta - the latest JAG to become a Jag. The best face you can put on that decision is that: (a) Skuta may be a better fit complementing Paul Posluszny and Telvin Smith; and (b) in New York, Thomas doesn't need to be better than Skuta or Posluszny - he just needs to be better than Jacquain Williams, Spencer Paysinger and Mark Herzlich (and ideally Jameel McClain), and healthier than Jon Beason.