Thomas’ second season began on the wrong foot. He struggled with drops in training camp, an issue that carried into the regular season, and appeared frustrated with his place in Coen’s offense. But once the Jaguars began to win and Thomas was healthy enough to participate in the fun, concerns about his struggles seemed to dissipate. After all, winning can cure most problems.
That didn’t prevent the rumor mill from churning during the offseason. With concerns regarding Thomas’ fit in Coen’s system and worries his greater potential may not be realized in Jacksonville, chatterboxes began tossing out hypothetical trade possibilities involving the former first-round pick.
Gladstone firmly shut down those theories Thursday.
“It can be very strange for sure,” he said. “I care more for what weight that might put on Brian himself when it’s something that’s entirely out of his control and unnecessary. So, I think that’s where my mind would go, if anything. But when it’s fraudulent claims, you just keep your mind on what you can focus on and you can actually control and try to do what’s best for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
“Ultimately, that’s not the hardest thing to do and that’s the role and where you can try to compartmentalize things. If anything, hopefully it’s not a weight that comes with the player that ever would be involved in such a thing.”
The offseason is filled with hypotheticals as we all pass the time between the Super Bowl and the next significant point of the NFL offseason. It’s common for a player with Thomas’ talent and potential to be desired in such casting of wishes. But as Gladstone said Thursday, until negotiations begin, such chatter is simply that: wishes. Or as he said, fraudulent.