Saints’ Michael Thomas most underrated receiver in game
By Brad Weiss
The New Orleans Saints have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL in Drew Brees, and his favorite target has managed to fly under the radar.
When you think of the star wide receivers in the NFL, New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas is never one of the first names mentioned. Guys like Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., and Julio Jones get most of the love, but it is time Thomas starts to get your attention.
Since being drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Thomas has quietly been putting together a stellar NFL career. Over the course of his first two seasons in the league, Thomas has caught 196 passes from star quarterback Drew Brees, which just happens to be an NFL record.
Despite the fact he is not mentioned with the elite wideouts in the game, Thomas knows that time is about to come. He recently told ESPN’s Mike Triplett that it is only his second year, and if he stays consistent with his production, he will be one of the best in the game.
Some may argue he is already one of the best in the game, after making his first Pro Bowl last season. Thomas’ big-play ability helped the Saints finally get back to the postseason, as the offense utilized not only Thomas, but the dominating combination of Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram in the backfield.
With Ingram missing the first four games of the 2018 NFL season due to a suspension, more attention is going to be placed on the passing game for the Saints. Thomas has flown under the radar at the beginning of his NFL career, but those days are about to be over.
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New Orleans is expected to be right back in the mix in 2018, and for Thomas, he should benefit from the additions of Ted Ginn Jr. and Cameron Meredith to the wide receiver group this offseason. Incredibly, Thomas is still only 25 years old, and his best football may be in front of him. He is going to get a lot of double teams next season, but with extra weapons around him, triple-digit catches should be in the cards once again.