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Demaryius Thomas heard from only one team during the offseason while he was a free agent recovering from a torn Achilles: the New England Patriots.
After spending a good chunk of the preseason on the PUP list, Thomas was activated just over a week ago. He finally made his on-field Patriots debut against the New York Giants in the final preseason game.
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His stint on the field was brief, playing into the second quarter. But his best play was 35-yard touchdown reception from Jarrett Stidham in double coverage down the sideline.
When he came back to the Patriots’ sideline he was met with a congratulatory hug from Tom Brady.
Just six minutes later, Stidham and Thomas connected again for a second time. Stidham scrambled to his left while Thomas got separation in the back of the end zone for a wide-open touchdown grab.
Thomas has been among the top deep threats in the league since he was drafted and put together five consecutive 1,000-yard seasons until last year when he was injured. In the final preseason game, Thomas was lining up on the opposite side as Josh Gordon to form what might become one of the most feared and revered receiving groups in the league.
Contested Catches
Despite being double-covered on most of his routes, Thomas fought through his defenders and made several catches with the arms extended.
His routes have varied from crossing routes over the middle to comeback routes along the sidelines and even deep routes like on his touchdown. While the Giants aren’t playing their top defensive backs, it’s encouraging to see Thomas making these grabs only eight months removed from an Achilles tear.
Thomas’ acquisition was somewhat of a forgotten one but it has had a strong effect on the Patriots’ receiving corps and quarterback Tom Brady. He and Brady have already built a strong relationship off the field, creating excitement for what he can do on the field.
In a quarter and a half of play, Thomas finished with seven catches on eight targets for 87 yards and the two scores.
Take The Bad With The Good
Although Thomas showed a ton of promise in the receiving game, he showed a bit of the rust at times.
On an end-around, he dropped the handoff from Stidham and the Giants recovered. Coming across the backfield, Thomas extended the hands for the ball instead of creating a pocket for Stidham to place the ball, resulting in the turnover.
Prior to the fumble, on an interception by the Giants, Thomas took a penalty on an illegal low block, something the NFL is trying to crack down on this season. Thomas has been penalized for an illegal block only once in his career, last season against the Los Angeles Chargers.
These issues will likely be ironed out by the time the regular season rolls around and as Thomas continues to get a feel for the offense and in-game situations.
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