ESPN analyst thinks the Lions should give a chance to controversial receiver
The Detroit Lions need receiver help. It's just a fact at this point. The team has some depth issues outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. ESPN analyst, and DVOA creator, Aaron Schatz agrees with that sentiment. That's why he suggested in his latest article that the Lions sign former Saints receiver Michael Thomas. […]
The Detroit Lions need receiver help. It's just a fact at this point. The team has some depth issues outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams. ESPN analyst, and DVOA creator, Aaron Schatz agrees with that sentiment. That's why he suggested in his latest article that the Lions sign former Saints receiver Michael Thomas. Here's his reasoning:
"The Lions have a lot of cap space and definitely could use veteran help at receiver, so why not bring in Thomas as a reclamation project? He had only 448 yards and one touchdown in New Orleans last season, but the Lions have the kind of offensive scheme that could get him back up to a catch rate of 70% on those slants that he was so good at back in 2018 and 2019. If it doesn't work out, the Lions will just spend money they weren't using anyway (they have the second-most available cap space in the league). If it does, it's another step toward finally getting Detroit to a Super Bowl."
On paper it makes a lot of sense that the Lions might add Thomas. He was with Dan Campbell in New Orleans for years, so Campbell knows what to expect from him. Thomas was also an All-Pro receiver during that time.
He also fits what the Lions need in terms of body size and contested catch ability. So why not, right? There are just a few problems here that are of note.
The first is that Thomas is 31 years old and while he was an All-Pro receiver and the league's Offensive Player of the Year at one time, he hasn't been that guy in a while. And we mean a very long while.
Thomas played just 20 games over the course of the last four years due to injuries. He wasn't his normal Offensive Player of the Year self during those 20 games either. He put up just 95 receptions for 1,057 yards and four touchdowns. A change of scenery isn't likely to be help for him. He might just be done.
The other big red flag is that Thomas was arrested last November for allegedly throwing a brick through the window of someone's car. After the Cameron Sutton fiasco, the Lions are probably very unlikely to sign a player with more legal troubles. Even if this one isn't as horrific as Sutton's alleged crime.
There's a reason the Saints released Thomas in March. It wasn't just because they just don't see any future with him and that he's very unlikely to get back to the player he once was. He also failed his physical. He might not be able to play anytime soon.
That's why the Lions are probably just going to stay away from this one. If they were going to take a shot, it would likely be a one-year deal full of incentives and maybe he makes it out of camp, but again, it's seems like something the Lions are definitely going to avoid.
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