he Washington Commanders got a surprise addition to their roster shortly before the season when they signed veteran wide receiver Noah Brown just one day after he was released by the Houston Texans on August 28.
Brown provided more dividends than the Commanders could ever have imagined, becoming the team’s third leading wide receiver and helping author one of the greatest moments in NFL regular-season history when he caught a 52-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass as time expired in a Week 8 win over the Chicago Bears — known now as The Miracle in Maryland.
Just as surprising for the Commanders was the suddenness with which Brown’s season ended when head coach Dan Quinn announced Brown was likely out for the rest of the season with a “serious internal injury” suffered in a Week 13 win over the Tennessee Titans.
Now, the Commanders have a void in the wide receivers room they need to move quickly to fill, and they should at least kick the tires on signing Michael Thomas, the 2019 NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
Thomas, who has played his entire career with the New Orleans Saints, is the No. 2 available free agent wide receiver, according to Sharp Football Analysis, behind just former Kansas City Chiefs and Cleveland Browns wide receiver Kadarius Toney, who was released by the Browns on December 10.
Commanders Linked to Thomas in Preseason
Before the season began, Bleacher Report’s Matt Holder threw out Thomas’ name as a player who could possibly help the Commanders.
“Outside of Terry McLaurin, the Commanders’ receiving corps leaves something to be desired and is rather young. So, the offense and Daniels could use another proven pass-catcher like Thomas,” Holder wrote on August 12. “While it’s fair to question what the 31-year-old has left in the tank, he did log 39 catches for 448 yards in 10 games last season and it might be worth it to at least bring him in for the rest of training camp.”
Thomas, a two-time NFL All-Pro, hasn’t played a full season since 2019 and played only 10 games from 2020 to 2022, including missing the entire 2021 season due to injury.
At one point in the not-so-distant past, Thomas was the singular dominant wide receiver in the NFL.
Thomas reeled off four consecutive seasons of over 1,000 receiving yards to begin his career, making three consecutive Pro Bowls from 2017 to 2019 and leading the NFL in receptions in 2018 and 2019. In July 2019, Thomas made NFL history when he signed a 5-year, $96.5 million contract extension with $61 million guaranteed — at the time the largest contract for a wide receiver in NFL history.
Thomas followed that with one of the greatest seasons for a wide receiver in NFL history in 2019, setting an NFL record with 149 receptions for 1,725 yards and 9 touchdowns on the way to being named NFL Offensive Player of the Year.
In his last season with the Saints in 2023, Thomas had 39 receptions for 448 yards and 1 touchdown in 10 games with 7 starts.
Commanders Trying to Return to First Postseason Since ’20
The Commanders are 8-5 and clinging to the seventh and final NFC playoff spot with 4 games left to play beginning with a road game against Thomas’ former team, the Saints, in Week 15.
Washington hasn’t made the playoffs since 2020 and hasn’t had a winning season since going 8-7-1 in 2016. The Commanders haven’t won a playoff game since 2005.
