Two-Time All-Pro Wide Receiver and former New Orleans Saint, Michael Thomas may reunite with Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell suggests that Thomas landing in Denver would be the perfect fit to reunite with his former coach in New Orleans. It would make sense from a personal perspective, however, is Thomas the right fit at this point in his career? He could still possibly land there on a one-year deal to see how he could marinate in that offense.
However, the relationship between the two has fractured over the years. Thomas blamed Payton for an ankle injury that started his medical issues and now probably won’t ever forgive one another. It’s hard to imagine the two on the same sideline, but it’s still possible if the options are running out. Payton also benched Thomas and fined him for fighting with a teammate in practice at one moment.
However, many players and coaches are at a time when they could settle their differences and stick to business. They obviously can renovate their chemistry, especially after Jerry Jeudy signed a deal with the Cleveland Browns. Denver needs a receiver and Thomas could be a cheap option as a temporary solution. New Orleans cut him for a reason, though, his ability to stay on the field has not been consistent.
Thomas played just 20 games in the last four seasons with the Saints due to injuries. He was playing pretty much every game under Payton the injury that’s been backtracking Thomas. His reunion with Payton could heal the wounds of their relationship and his injury status. However, he could be a nice addition to complement Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims.
Two-Time All-Pro Wide Receiver Michael Thomas May Reunite With Head Coach Sean Payton
Ongoing Investigation Still up in the Air
There are a lot of reports that state the misdemeanor charges of simple battery and criminal mischief are dropping. Also, there have been multiple sources that state the chargers haven’t been dropped yet and the receiver will enter a pretrial. The investigation is related to an incident that occurred in November in front of Thomas’ house in Kenner, Louisiana. He got into a verbal altercation with a local contractor relating to parking issues and the man accused Thomas of pushing him and throwing a brick at his car windshield.
Thomas was arrested that night but made the trip for the matchup against the Vikings a day later. The former 2016 second-round pick by the Saints was released by the team early free agency after playing just 10 games in 2023 with the team. He was the 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year and holds the single-season receptions record after catching 149 passes. Thomas is entering 31 after starting 72 games in the league, catching 565 passes for 6,569 yards and 36 touchdowns.
Injuries have plagued him though, he hasn’t been able to be the same player he was. However, there are still teams out there that could be interested in signing Thomas. Until there’s a clear report that charges are being dropped, don’t expect Thomas to sign anywhere anytime soon.
Other Potential Landing Spots for Thomas
Any team that needs an emergency receiver down the road will likely call up Thomas for his services. Thomas is at a point in his career where he may be ring-chasing instead of looking for a huge contract. Kansas City is one landing spot that makes sense after acquiring Marquise Brown to replace Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Adding another receiver wouldn’t hurt after Mahomes was struggling to find an open wideout last season despite the weapons they had.
However, this isn’t the only team that’s looking like a Super Bowl Contender. The Ravens may be interested in Thomas to complement Zay Flowers alongside reliable tight end Mark Andrews. Odell Beckham Jr. leaving the team without a new deal leaves the wideout position with a hole. They could easily add Thomas as their next veteran to mentor the wide receiver locker room.
