Denver Broncos Julius Thomas is only getting better

If only there was a way to measure Julius Thomas’ production jump in multiples. In his first two years in the league, he accounted for zero, nil, none. Last year, he caught 12. Peyton Manning’s arrival had something to do with it — and his near season-long health. With the huge boost in production, former basketball player still knows that he has a great deal to learn about his position. The game of football has yet to slow down for him.

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“I do think I’m still scratching the surface,” Thomas said, via FoxSports.com. “I’ve had guys who have told me that playing football around Year 4 and Year 5, it starts to click and then it all starts to make sense of what you’re doing. That’s typical of a normal guy who has been playing forever. I still think I have so far to go. I need to keep getting repetitions and keep getting comfortable with things.”

A greater mastery and level of comfort could generate even more ways for Thomas and Manning to connect.

“What I think people will see different in me (this year) is that they will use me a lot more creatively,” Thomas told FOXSports.com. “I think there are a lot of things that our offense wanted to do with me, but you can only learn so much in one year. No matter how much time you have at practice, it never seems to be enough when you’re learning and trying to come into your own.”

Thomas is entering the finals year of his rookie contract. If he keeps playing like he has, the young tight end would be a bargain for long. He could be a very rich man in 2015 free agency.