Off-Topic » o Bowl.It was hard missing an opportunity

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. - Julius Thomas is about to cash in, one way or another.One of Denvers dozen unrestricted free agents, hell either get a long-term contract soon or play next season under the Broncos franchise tag.General manager John Elway said back on Jan. 12 that re-signing both the big tight end and star wide receiver Demaryius Thomas were his top priorities after finding a new coach.I didnt hear about that until now from you, Thomas told The Associated Press. But I think its good thats something they want to do. Obviously, those conversations and negotiations will take place in the next coming weeks. Hopefully it all works out.If not, Thomas will still see a big jump in his pay. He made $645,000 in the final year of his rookie deal.Thomas is a bit of an uncertainty. He has spent 2 1-2 years nursing ankle injuries that rendered his production near nil and 1 1-2 years as a transcendent tight end a la Rob Gronkowski or Jimmy Graham.Thomas stock soared after he rejected Denvers contract offer last summer. He scored a dozen TDs through nine games, becoming the first tight end in league history to post back-to-back 12-touchdown seasons.Gronkowskis record 17 TDs seemed well within reach. So did Grahams record four-year, $40 million contract he signed last summer that made him the leagues highest-paid tight end.Then, Thomas turned his left ankle at St. Louis on Nov. 16 and was never the same. Neither were the Broncos, who went from Super Bowl favourite to one-and-done in the playoffs.Thomas said he has no idea if his stock slipped along with his production: It is what it is. Theres no changing it. So, well just see. And he wouldnt venture a guess as to whether hell still be in a Broncos uniform: I guess well all know shortly.Thomas was one of Denvers league-high 11 Pro Bowlers. But he skipped the annual all-star game for the second consecutive season. Last year, he was preparing for the Super Bowl. He sat this one out to protect his tender ankle — and maybe even his earnings potential.Thomas said he starts training again next month and didnt want to risk any setbacks.Im going to really get after it to make sure Im ready for OTAs. And I wanted to be able to be healthy then and feeling 100 per cent, so I need to attack this off-season the way I need to, he said. I have goals that I still need to achieve, and the only way to get there is through work.Thomas said his ankle is feeling good, man, getting an opportunity to rest it. Thats the No. 1 way to heal. So, its definitely feeling fine. It just needs a little rest.He said he had a tough time watching the Pro Bowl.It was hard missing an opportunity to compete against the best of the best in the world, Thomas said Monday via phone while promoting the release of the Havoc DLC pack for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare in San Francisco.I have to go back so I can finally get out there and play in that Pro Bowl.Thomas has always maintained this latest ankle injury wasnt anywhere near as serious as the one he sustained to his right ankle on his first catch his rookie year. That injury lingered and essentially cost him his first two years in the NFL.There are other unknowns facing Thomas: even if he returns to Denver, he doesnt know who his quarterback will be.With Peyton Manning mulling retirement, Denvers offence could be run by the man whos thrown an NFL record 530 touchdown passes or Brock Osweiler, whos thrown just one.If Manning decides to come back, hell give everything he has because thats the kind of competitor he is and the love he has for this game, Thomas said. And if he decides his time of running around and getting chased by big guys is over, hell have so much to show for it. Hes one of the greatest athletes ever, one of the greatest football players ever. Hell always be in the conversation of whos the best football player of all time.And if its Osweiler running Gary Kubiaks West Coast offence, thats fine with him, too.When it comes to Brock, Im a believer. I have a lot of faith in what he can do, Thomas said. I really believe hes going to do a great job when his number gets called.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL Balenciaga Shoes Online Canada . The 24-year-old right winger has one assist in nine games this season with the Sabres. In his career, he has three goals and six assists in 43 NHL games. Balenciaga Canada Website . Hes still nowhere close to throwing yet. The four-time MVP was in good spirits when he made his first public appearance on the field since having neck surgery Sept. http://www.discountbalenciagacanada.com/. The Boston Celtics hadnt played since the All-Star break. So the Suns 100-94 victory over Boston Wednesday night was an uphill affair, with Phoenix relying on balance rather than its trademark high energy. Discount Balenciaga Canada . The Blue Jays lost to the New York Yankees 3-1 Tuesday night, their seventh defeat in 10 games. Rasmus was put on the 15-day DL on May 15 because of a sore right hamstring. Hes hitting .222 with nine home runs and 19 RBIs. Balenciaga Wholesale Shoes . The D-Backs came into being in 1998 and appear destined to finish second in the AL West after the Tsunami that is the Los Angeles Dodgers swept over them. I thought it might be interesting to see what the D-backs have done over their 16 years compared to what the Blue Jays have done over their past 16 campaigns.WASHINGTON -- After striking out 13 times in an 11-1 loss to Stephen Strasburg and the Washington Nationals on Friday night, the San Diego Padres had reason to look forward to facing a much less-imposing pitcher on Saturday. But San Diego had even more trouble against right-hander Tanner Roark, who pitched a three-hitter for the first complete game of his career as the Nationals shut out the Padres 4-0. The 27-year-old set down the first 16 batters before San Diego catcher Rene Rivera, an .074 batter entering the game, hit a solid single to centre field with one out in the sixth inning. San Diego managed to get just two more singles in the game and didnt get a runner past second base. "He had a good sinker, changeup, was keeping the ball down especially," said San Diego first baseman Yonder Alonzo, who went 0-for-3. San Diego entered Saturdays game tied for the second-worst batting average in the National League (.226) and saw it drop further. In a span of 19 hours and 18 innings, the Padres got 13 hits, all singles, and fanned 21 times. When Saturdays game was over, only two of the nine players San Diego started had batting averages better than .200 -- shortstop Everth Cabrera (.300) and outfielder Chris Denorfia (.324). "We do hope that the offence gets better, that guys get to their career averages -- at some point," manager Bud Black said. San Diego struggled in many facets on Saturday. The Padres made three infield errors. Second baseman Jedd Gyorko would have had two had it not been for a generous ruling. Jayson Werths hopper up the middle might have been an inning-ending double-play. But after it was initially ruled an error, it was changed to a single. Either way, the play allowed Washington to grab a 3-0 lead in the first inning, all the runs the Nationals needed against Padres ace Andrew Cashner (2-3). "What weve got to stay away from is the hitters letting their offence go into their defence," Black said. "When you dont score and you make a couple errors, they become magnified because its so important when youre not scoring.dddddddddddd" Mixing three other pitches with his modest 92 mph fastball, Roark (2-0) walked one and struck out eight, including Gyorko to end the game on his 105th pitch. "I was feeling confident out there on the mound, felling strong," Roark said. "Getting ahead of the hitters is the biggest thing." Roark has been more than a one-hit wonder for the Nationals. Since taking his spot in the rotation, he has produced eight quality starts in 10 attempts with a 5-1 record. Roark extended his run of consecutive scoreless innings to 18. In 35 innings at Nationals Park he has given up one earned run. On Saturday, he extended the frustrations of the Padres. "We played terrible today, honestly," Alonzo said. "We didnt defend, didnt hit. Cash kept us in the game, He always does. Hes our ace. He will always keep us in the game. Today we werent behind him. We didnt play good defence. It was somewhat of an embarrassment." Washington increased its advantage to 4-0 in the sixth when Kevin Frandsen opened with a single, moved to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Roark, and scored on a single to left by Denard Span. Frandsen was starting in left field for Bryce Harper, who was out of the lineup with a jammed thumb. Notes: X-rays on the jammed thumb of Harper were negative, according to manager Matt Williams, who said that Harper was undergoing an MRI after the game. Williams said that Harper was available to pinch-hit. ... The Nationals had their second successful replay challenge in three games as Werth was ruled safe at second base, taking two bases on a booted ground ball. ... Padres outfielder Seth Smith was out of the lineup for the second straight day and will remain day-to-day after suffering a strained groin Thursday night against the Nationals. He was scheduled to take cuts in the batting cage on Saturday and for light jogging on Sunday. ... Washington right-hander Taylor Jordan (0-3, 6.23 ERA) will face San Diego right-hander Ian Kennedy (1-3, 3.60) on Sunday. ' ' '