Getty Michael Thomas reacts.
After finishing 4-13 last season, the Washington Commanders will look to improve. Making moves during the offseason to better the roster, the hope and expectation is for them to be a better team. Looking at one move every NFL team still needs to make, Matt Holder of Bleacher Report wrote that the Commanders should sign two-time All-Pro, Michael Thomas.
“Surrounding Jayden Daniels with as much support as possible should be the Commander’s top priority,” Holder wrote on May 25. “Right now, third-round pick Luke McCaffery is currently projected to be the offense’s starting slot receiver and McCaffery was a reach according to B/R’s scouting department, ranking 290th on the final big board.
“While Thomas is well past his prime, it would be in Daniels’ and Washington’s best interest to add the veteran wideout and kick the tires on him to see what he has left in the tank.”
Michael Thomas Had a Historic Start to His Career
During the first four seasons of Thomas’ career with the New Orleans Saints, the former $96 million star was better than anyone in football.
Averaging 117 receptions, 1,378 yards, and eight touchdowns, Thomas put himself in a position to be a future Hall of Famer. According to Luke Johnson of Nola.com, only 17 players in NFL history have hit those numbers in a single season.
“That was the average statistical line in Thomas’ first four seasons with the Saints — 117 catches, 1,378 yards and eight touchdowns,” Johnson wrote. “Only 17 players in NFL history have hit each of those benchmarks in a single season.”
The historic numbers didn’t stop there. He holds the most catches in an NFL season with 149 in the 2019 season. In 2019, he finished with 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns, winning the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year award.
However, since then, Thomas has dealt with multiple injuries, playing in just 20 games from the 2020 to 2023 season. He missed the entire 2021 season but has posted just 1,057 yards since 2020.
How Thomas Would Help the Washington Commanders
If the Washington Commanders are looking for a buy-low wide receiver, Thomas could be a decent option. The concern is clearly with his health, and he’s made comments about his teammates in the past, blaming Derek Carr for getting injured on a “bad ball.”
When he’s played, he hasn’t necessarily played poorly. He averaged 11.5 yards per reception this past season, catching 39 passes for 448 yards. While that doesn’t make him what he once was, the Commanders’ wide receiver room would’ve been improved if they had him last season as they had just four players with more than 389 receiving yards.
The Commanders will likely run into growing pains with Jayden Daniels being a rookie quarterback, and the lack of veterans in the wide receiver room could be an issue, but it’s uncertain if Thomas can even stay on the field at this point in his career.
If it’s an incentivized deal, this could be a signing that makes sense. Thomas was on pace for a nearly 1,000-yard season last year, proving he still had something in the tank when he was healthy. However, the injuries are tough to ignore.
Dean Jones of Riggo’s Rag wrote that if this was a few years ago, the deal would make sense. Now, there are red flags.
“Thomas remains on the proverbial scrap heap after the New Orleans Saints went in a different direction,” Jones wrote on May 26. “This would be a no-brainer a few years ago, but there are plenty of red flags attached to this potential move.”