New England Patriots: Demaryius Thomas an added bonus on offense

The New England Patriots are suddenly deep at the wide receiver position, especially if they get something out of veteran receiver Demaryius Thomas.

With Josh Gordon reinstated by the NFL and back on the practice field for the New England Patriots, Tom Brady suddenly has a unique group of playmakers at the wide receiver position entering the 2019 NFL season.

We all know the talent Gordon brings and of course Julian Edelman is going to be…Julian Edelman. But, also in the mix is 2019 first-round pick N’Keal Harry, Phillip Dorsett, undrafted rookie Jakoki Meyers and veteran receiver Demaryius Thomas.

In Gordon, Harry and Thomas, the Patriots have three of the biggest wide receivers in the NFL. That’s why if Thomas does catch on in the offense, Brady will have himself multiple big targets to throw to on the outside.

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The key word is “if.”

One of the reasons Demaryius Thomas is flying under the radar this preseason, other than coming off an Achilles injury, is the team’s track record with veteran receivers on their last leg. Just last season, it was Eric Decker who walked away from the game after a couple preseason games with the Patriots. Before that it was players like Reggie Wayne and Torry Holt.

So, what will make Thomas different at the age of 31?

Well, he is coming off a season in which he caught 59 passes for 677 yards and five touchdowns prior to the Achilles injury. If Thomas still has something in the tank, Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and Tom Brady will find a way to fuel it.

He also has the confidence in himself that he can and will still contribute on the football field.

"“I still can go,” Thomas said Sunday following practice."

With the team releasing Maurice Harris, it appears the team is prepared to give a veteran like Thomas a deeper look. He has only participated in two practices and has yet to appear in a preseason game, but he is getting the rust off and also getting his timing back.

"“It’s just reacting,” Thomas said about being back in full pads. “I ain’t been in front of defensive guys or just going play by play in eight months. I haven’t had on pads or a helmet in a while. So, that’s kind of the part I’m talking about.”"

And then there is the Tom Brady factor. If Demaryius Thomas finds any chemistry with the six-time Super Bowl champion, it will be a bonus for the New England Patriots offense. Going into 2019 with a trio of Josh Gordon, N’Keal Harry and Julian Edelman is already pretty good for the 20-year veteran, adding a productive Thomas to that mix will more than make up for what the team is lacking at the tight end position with the retirement of Rob Gronkowski.

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While it still wouldn’t be surprising if Demaryius Thomas does not make the Patriots final 53-man roster, it will be shocking if he outright retires. After a quick recovery from the second Achilles injury of his career, the four-time pro-bowler is not ready to walk away from the game.

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