It’s not too late for the Kansas City Chiefs to add a receiver via the free-agent pool. That’s why Devon Platana of KC Kingdom believes the Chiefs should add veteran wide receiver Michael Thomas before the 2024 NFL Draft.
“Thomas also hasn’t been playing with a quality QB since he was paired with Drew Brees. I’m not saying that Mahomes would turn him into a 1,700-yard receiver again, but I think the duo could catch a lot of people off guard and that makes it an option worth exploring,” Platana wrote on April 8.
What to Know About Michael Thomas
Thomas, 31, was a second-round pick — 47th overall — of the New Orleans Saints in 2016.
Early in his career, Thomas — who stands at 6-foot-3 and weighs 212 pounds — was a dominant force in New Orleans’ passing game with Brees under center. He started his NFL career with four straight 1,000-yard seasons and two All-Pro nods.
His best season to date was in 2019 when he set career-highs in targets (185), catches (149), and receiving yards (1,725), according to Pro Football Reference. He was named the Associated Press’s Offensive Player of the Year for his production that season.
Unfortunately, injuries have derailed Thomas’ football career. Since 2020, he has missed 46 regular season games, which includes missing the entirety of the 2021 season.
The 2023 season was the first season that Thomas managed to play in double-digit games since 2019. With Derek Carr as his QB, Thomas managed 39 receptions for 448 yards and 1 touchdown in 10 games played.
During his NFL career, Thomas has earned $72.5 million from his contracts, according to Spotrac.
Should the Chiefs Pursue Michael Thomas Before the Draft?
When healthy, Thomas still has the size and ball skills to be a WR3/WR4 for an offense even if he lacks the explosiveness he had earlier in his football career. But based on the current layout of Kansas City’s receiver room, there are a couple of things I think Thomas would need to agree to before the Chiefs offer him a contract.
First, Thomas would need to take the veteran minimum. At this point, it’s been several years since he has remained healthy for an entire season. If Kansas City general manager Brett Veach wants to bundle some per-game roster bonuses into the team’s offer to Thomas, that’s fine. But the guaranteed money needs to be minimal to ensure this is a potential low-risk signing.
Next, Thomas would have to agree to sign with the Chiefs after the draft. May 2 is when free-agent signings no longer impact the compensatory formula, which makes some of the long-standing free agents more attractive to teams still looking to fill roster holes post-draft.
Signing Thomas to that type of deal after the draft would make him as low risk a signing as possible, and would give the former All-Pro a chance to compete for a Super Bowl ring. Thomas has never played in a Conference Championship let alone a Super Bowl during his nine-year career, so the idea of potentially playing deeper in the playoffs with the two-time defending Super Bowl champions could be of interest to him.
The 2024 NFL Draft is Right Around the Corner
The 2024 NFL Draft begins on April 25 in Detroit, Michigan, and will be available to watch on ESPN, ABC, and NFL Network.
Kansas City has a total of seven draft picks this year:
- Round 1: Pick 32
- Round 2: Pick 64
- Round 3: Pick 95
- Round 4: Pick 131
- Round 5: Pick 159 (from DAL)
- Round 5: Pick 173 (compensatory)
- Round 7: Pick 227 (from TEN)
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Chiefs Urged to Sign 2-Time All-Pro, $72 Million WR Before NFL Draft