3 New England Patriots WR trade targets that would help Mac Jones thrive
New England Patriots wide receiver trade target No. 3: Michael Thomas
Michael Thomas has become a forgotten man in the NFL recently. He suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 on the 2020 season that left him a shell of himself for the nine games he was able to play that season (two of which came in the postseason). After undergoing surgery on that ankle last offseason, Thomas appeared to be gearing up for a long awaited return to the New Orleans Saints, but he suffered a setback that ended his season before it started.
Thomas’ relationship with the Saints has been tenuous since last offseason. He and former Saints head coach Sean Payton were not on good terms, with Payton being upset with how Thomas handled his offseason treatment to his ankle. As a result of the situation, trade rumors were flying everywhere, and it seemed like Thomas could be on the move sooner rather than later.
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Instead, him and Payton eventually hashed things out, and he was on his way back to the field until he suffered his aforementioned setback. But with the Saints having no cap space to speak of and seemingly heading towards a rebuild, there’s a real chance that Thomas could be on the move this offseason unless he restructures his deal, which is unlikely to happen.
Thomas probably won’t be as effective as he was prior to his injury (149 REC, 1725 YDS, 9 TD in 2019) but he still could easily be a top 10 wide receiver in the league, and he may just be available for the taking. Considering how he has done virtually nothing the past two seasons, and the Saints need to unload some salary of their books, their price for Thomas probably won’t be as high as many would think.
The numbers above show Thomas is a deadly receiver who can make plays all over the field, and that’s just what the New England Patriots need for their offense. Thomas injury history is a bit of a red flag, but when he’s on the field there’s no denying his talent. If the Patriots want to take a risk on a potential buy low candidate, Thomas may be their best option.