Wide receiver remains a cause for concern for the New England Patriots, even after adding three new faces to the depth chart. Any concerns would be eased if the Pats took a leap of faith and signed 2019 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Michael Thomas in free agency.
The oft-injured two-time All-Pro can help the Patriots, according to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, even though Thomas “hasn’t played a full season or been a Pro Bowler since 2019. The injuries that have plagued him ever since make it hard to believe that the 31-year-old will ever be an elite wideout again.”
Despite any reservations, Knox believes former New Orleans Saints’ star Thomas “showed flashes of his previous form in 2023, finishing with 39 catches for 448 yards and a touchdown in 10 games.”
More of those flashes would be a boost to the Patriots, “who still have arguably the league’s most lackluster receiving corps.”
Michael Thomas Could Ease Patriots’ QB Worries
It’s all change at quarterback after the Patriots selected Drake Maye third overall in the 2024 NFL draft. The team also brought back veteran Jacoby Brissett in free agency.
Change was necessary after the problems encountered by Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe the last two years. Yet, the Pats will likely still have some concerns about their options at football’s most important position.
Concerns like Maye being an untested rookie, while Brissett is a journeyman who has spent most of his pro career as a backup. Adding Thomas would ease some of the worries because at his best, he’s a QB-friendly target.
Thomas proved a prolific catch machine during his peak seasons. They included leading the league in receptions in both 2018 and ’19. The latter season saw Thomas set an NFL record with 149 grabs.
ALL 149 catches from @cantguardmike’s record-breaking 2019 season! 🎂🥳
Winning between the numbers was a speciality for Thomas, but even making contested catches on the perimeter became a hallmark of his game. He was the complete receiver before ankle, hamstring, toe and knee injuries made him a stranger to the field once he’d entered the record books.
Thomas was healthy enough to appear in 10 games for the Saints last season. He used the modest sample size to remind folks he can still make the tough grabs.
Like when No. 13 reeled in this touchdown catch against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7.
A 6-foot-3, 212-pounder with Thomas’ strong hands and expansive catch radius would provide Maye and Brissett with some easy throws and soft targets.
Those aren’t things the Pats can necessarily count on from their incumbent receivers.
Patriots Still Lack True WR1
It made sense the Patriots were desperate to trade back into the first round for a record-breaking speedster. Their desire showed the Pats know they still lack a true go-to receiver.
Instead, head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt will try and cobble together a productive committee of pass-catchers. Their options include returning trio Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas and Tyquan Thornton, as well as free-agent arrival K.J. Osborn, along with a rookie expected to play a niche role.
Another rookie, fourth-round pick Javon Baker, “has some noticeable tools to work with in his explosiveness, strong hands to make catches outside his frame, and body control to thrive in contested situations,” according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com.
There’s a core collection of potentially useful receivers at the disposal of Maye and Brissett, but still no dependable, clutch performer. Ideally, Super Bowl winner JuJu Smith-Schuster would take on a Thomas-like role, but it hasn’t happened yet and the 27-year-old could still be a cap casualty.
Signing an established name like Thomas would at least boost the credibility of a position group key to the success of eventual franchise quarterback Maye.
