When it comes to wide receivers, the Denver Broncos are on the kind of skid that any NFL team would want to avoid: the organization hasn’t had a player surpass 1,000 yards receiving since 2019.
That means the Broncos are open to trying anything at the position, according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, including signing free-agent wide receiver Michael Thomas.
“The Denver Broncos are a good fit for Thomas for a variety of reasons. For starters, Denver hires former Saints head coach Sean Payton and offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael,” Knox wrote. “Secondly, the Broncos want to develop rookie quarterback Bo Nix. Finally, Denver lacks proven receiver skill behind Courtland Sutton and free agent signing Josh Reynolds. Thomas may not be a particularly prolific receiver in Denver, but he can assist Nix adjust to Payton’s offence.”
In recent years, Thomas’ career has suffered setbacks. A career relaunch in the AFC and with his previous head coach could be all it takes for the 31-year-old to reclaim some of his earlier greatness.
Thomas, a two-time NFL All-Pro, has not played a full season since winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year award with the New Orleans Saints in 2019 – and he did it while playing for Payton.
Thomas’ Domination Leads to Massive Payday
Thomas has destroyed NFL competition nearly since the Saints took him in the second round of the NFL draft in 2016.
To begin his career, the Ohio State product has four consecutive seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards, earning three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2017 to 2019 and leading the NFL in receptions in 2018 and 2019.
In 2019, Thomas signed a 5-year, $100 million contract deal with $61 million guaranteed, the largest payoff for a wide receiver in NFL history. He then went on to have one of the best seasons as a wide receiver in NFL history, with 145 receptions, 1,725 receiving yards, and 9 touchdowns.
Thomas established NFL records for most receptions (510) and receiving yards (5,512) in the first four seasons.
When Thomas was named NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019, he became the first wide receiver to win the award since Jerry Rice in 1993.
Where Did Things Go Wrong For Thomas?
Thomas has only played 20 games since the end of the 2019 season, and he will miss the full 2021 season due to ankle surgery.
During his time away from the Saints, Thomas was suspended and fined for punching a teammate during practice in 2020, and he was arrested on misdemeanour charges of simple battery and criminal mischief in 2023 after allegedly throwing a brick through the windshield of a construction worker’s truck.
In 2023, Thomas appeared in ten games for the Saints, his most in a single season since 2019, and had 39 receptions for 448 yards, his greatest total since 2019.
Thomas was released from the organization in March 2024 after reworking his contract for 2023, which reduced his income from $15 million to $10 million.
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