Could Julius Thomas miss the rest of the season?

The Jacksonville Jaguars have four games remaining in the 2016 season, but for all intents and purposes, they don’t really mean anything. The team is out of playoff contention, they are currently slated to have a top three draft pick, and a large chunk of their roster is dealing with injuries. This includes tight end Julius Thomas, who is currently battling a back injury. Unfortunately for Julius, it sounds like his recovery from that injury isn't going as quickly as the team might have hoped for.

According to ESPN’s Mike DiRocco:

Jaguars coach Gus Bradley says TE Julius Thomas' back injury is not coming along as quickly as hoped. Bradley said they will take it day-by-day but it sounds to me like there's a good chance that Thomas could not play again this season.

Back injuries are usually a pretty tricky thing, and considering there are only four games left in the season, DiRocco’s prediction may very well hold true.

The bigger question at this point might not be if Julius Thomas will play for the Jags again this season, but if he will play for the Jags again period. Thomas’ production has not matched what was anticipated of him when he signed as a free agent in 2015, and he has also still dealt with injuries, something he has had his whole career. The Jaguars will have plenty of cap space this offseason, but cutting Thomas would give them even more. There are also arguments to be made that his struggles have mainly stemmed from bad quarterback play and terrible coaching, but that’s a discussion for another time.