Saints largest offensive weapon lastly seems to be totally wholesome
The New Orleans Saints have a brand new beginning quarterback. It additionally seems that vast receiver Michael Thomas is able to make his presence felt once more.
There was nothing however positives when it got here to the primary of the New Orleans Saints second-round picks in 2016. One-time Ohio State vast receiver Michael Thomas caught 92 passes for 1,137 yards and 9 scores.
Issues would solely get higher for the previous Buckeye. His quantity would improve with every passing 12 months. Thomas totaled 104, 125, and an NFL-record 149 receptions, respectively, over the subsequent three seasons. These grabs added as much as 1,245, 1,405, and a league-high 1,725 yards.
These are superb totals. In his first 4 seasons mixed, Thomas amassed 470 catches for five,512 yards and 32 touchdowns. There could be three straight Professional Bowl invites from 2017-19. The dependable wideout earned All-Professional honors in 2018 and ’19, and that latter 12 months would additionally consequence within the Saints’ star being named the NFL Offensive Participant of the Yr.
Then got here the damage bug. It bit Thomas in quite a few methods. He performed solely seven video games in 2020 and missed all of 2021 as a result of an ankle downside. He acquired off to a strong begin this previous season, catching 16 passes for 171 yards and three scores within the membership’s first three contests. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t play in one other recreation for the rest of the season.
Now it’s 2023 and there appears to be optimism surrounding the 30-year-old wideout.
The Saints are coming off ahighly-disappointing 7-10 campaign, the staff’s first shedding season since 2016. The offense was mediocre at greatest and Dennis Allen’s membership turned over the ball 25 occasions. The franchise signed former Raiders’ signal-caller Derek Carr this offseason after he was reduce unfastened by Las Vegas.
A wholesome Thomas is big information for a wide receiving corps that already consists of veteran Tre’Quan Smith in addition to one other former Buckeye in 2022 first-round choose Chris Olave. The latter led the staff this previous season with 72 catches and 1,042 receiving yards, totaling 4 touchdowns.
If Thomas can recapture any of that former All-Professional kind, the Saints’ offense may rebound from a problem-plagued exhibiting.
