3 teams that should take a gamble on Michael Thomas if he enters free agency
By Mark Powell
Michael Thomas rumors: Should Cowboys take a chance?
Rather than investing in Odell Beckham Jr., the Cowboys could go a slightly cheaper route and sign Michael Thomas. Dallas already has a formidable receiving corps led by CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Noah Brown. Adding Thomas to the mix — someone who can be counted on to make a clutch catch on third downs and late in games — is exactly what Dak Prescott needs.
While the Cowboys do need some help in the passing game, it’s not their primary need. Signing Thomas to a lower-AAV contract than Beckham Jr. will ask for is smart business. OBJ has a recent injury history, but he’ll be near the top of what’s expected to be a lackluster wide receiver market in free agency. Thomas, meanwhile, will fly under the radar just enough for Dallas to sign him.
Thomas does come with some risks. In similar fashion to OBJ, he hasn’t been healthy in quite some time. Since 2019, Thomas has dealt with injury issues.
“I mean, even the year that I played [a total of nine games in 2020], I was playing injured, and I was still kind of helping this team win games and move the chains. And I was clearly on one ankle,” Thomas said in 2021.
That sentiment hasn’t changed after Thomas played in just three games this season, catching 16 passes for 171 yards and three touchdowns. In more limited playing time, Thomas can emerge as a red-zone threat, as he’s proven in his three appearances this season. But finding that balance will not be easy.