Thomas has elected to retire as an NFL player in order to pursue a doctorate in psychology, NFL.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The 30-year-old can thus be crossed off the list of potential late summer free-agent additions at the tight end position. Thomas is coming off a 2017 season in which he logged 41 catches for 388 yards and three TDs in 14 games for the Dolphins. The 2011 fourth-rounder's playing career peaked in 2013-14, when he logged back-to-back 12-TD campaigns while with the Peyton Manning helmed Broncos.

Thomas (foot) is a free agent, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.

EDGE Analysis

As expected, the Dolphins released Thomas at the beginning of the new league year, after he caught 41 of 63 targets for 388 yards and three scores in 14 games. He only has one season with 500 or more receiving yards on his record, and he hasn't found any real success since parting ways with the Broncos (and Peyton Manning) after the 2014 campaign. Set to turn 30 later this offseason, Thomas may struggle to find a starting job on the open market. It's unclear if his foot injury from December is still a concern.

The Dolphins are expected to release Thomas (foot) on Wednesday, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas has disappointed mightily since leaving Denver, despite seeing similar volume in stays with the Jaguars and Dolphins. In those three seasons, he averaged 9.6 YPC, versus 11.8 YPC during two years at the peak of his powers with the Broncos. On a similar note, his touchdown percentage dipped from 22.2 percent (24 TDs on 108 catches) to 10.2 percent (12 on 117) in those respective stretches. Wherever he lands as a free agent, the 29-year-old shouldn't have a problem earning a far amount of snaps. That said, Thomas' time as a top-tier tight end are in the distant past.

Thomas (foot) is expected to be cut by Miami in a move to clear up salary cap space, Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald reports.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas only had 41 receptions for 388 yards and three scores before being placed on injured reserve due to the foot injury. If the Dolphins were to part ways with Thomas they would save $6.6 million against the salary cap. The Dolphins would be forced to acquire a TE if they were to make this move either via the draft or free agency.

The Dolphins have placed Thomas (foot) on IR.

EDGE Analysis

With Thomas set to sit out Miami's last two games of the season, Anthony Fasano and MarQueis Gray are in line to head the team's tight end corps in that span, with A.J. Derby and Thomas Duarte in reserve. Though Thomas is under contract with the Dolphins for the 2018 season, Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald believes that the tight end has played his last game with the team. The 29-year-old, who finishes the 2017 campaign with 41 catches for 388 yards and three TDs in 14 games, hasn't been a top-shelf fantasy option since his last two seasons with Denver, when Thomas logged back-to-back 12-TD efforts in 2013 and 2014.

Thomas snagged two of four targets for 11 yards during Monday's 27-20 win over the Patriots. He fumbled during the contest.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas entered Monday with at least 50 yards or a touchdown in four of five games. He narrowly missed keeping that streak going when he and Jay Cutler failed to connect on a deep ball down the left sideline in the third quarter. The veteran tight end is clearly improving from earlier in the season, but - at the same time - he had just one more offensive snap, 43 to 42, than fellow tight end Anthony Fasano.

Thomas brought in all three of his targets for 20 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 35-9 win over the Broncos.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran tight end touched up his old squad for a score when he brought in a nine-yard touchdown pass from Jay Cutler in the second quarter. Thomas has scored on three occasions over the last five contests and has seemingly carved out a modest but consistent role as a secondary option in the passing game.

Thomas brought in five of six targets for 52 yards in Sunday's 35-17 loss to the Patriots.

EDGE Analysis

The veteran tight end continues to emerge in the latter half of the season, with Sunday's performance marking his third game over the last four in which he's logged at least four catches. Thomas also has his only two touchdowns on the season over that span, as well as exactly half of his 34 catches. The 29-year-old has proven he can still get downfield when given the opportunity and is likely to have an extra bit of motivation against some of his old Broncos teammates in a Week 13 matchup.

Head coach Adam Gase relayed that he expects to get Thomas more involved in the offense as the season continues, Roy Cummings of Florida Football Insiders reports. "Yeah, with Julius, I didn't get him going enough early in the season," Gase said this week. "But I feel like we've gotten [back] into a little bit more of a groove with him now, and I still think there are some other things we can do."

EDGE Analysis

Through the first seven games of the season, Thomas accumulated 17 receptions (on 28 targets) for 168 yards and no touchdowns. After a 40-0 shellacking at Baltimore in Week 8, Gase reevaluated the offense and noticed a lack of reliance on Thomas. Since then, Thomas has been targeted four times in the red zone, finally reaching the end zone twice in the midst of 12 catches (on 17 targets) for 122 yards across three contests. Assuming his usage remains consistent, he'll aim to keep up the pace Sunday versus a Patriots defense that has conceded just 10 catches for 88 yards and no scores to tight ends over the last four outings.

Thomas had four receptions for 30 yards as the Dolphins lost to the Buccaneers 30-20 on Sunday.

EDGE Analysis

Thomas was only targeted four times during the contest but reeled each one in. He hasn't been the red zone threat that some were hoping for after being reunited with Adam Gase and that seems unlikely to change in the near future. Now that the bye weeks have completed you should be able to do better for your starting tight end.