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After injuries, Saints WR Michael Thomas eyes NFL comeback

Katherine Terrell, ESPN Staff Writer
Aug 31, 2023, 07:00 AM ET

METAIRIE, La. -- Michael Thomas is putting on a clinic.

It's a Thursday afternoon in the New Orleans Saints training facility, well past the dog days of training camp and into the portion of the summer when weary players are counting down the days until the regular season.

Saints quarterback Derek Carr has decided the 30-year-old wideout is the day's favorite target. He sends three passes Thomas' way to start off 7-on-7 drills, then connects with him downfield on the first pass of 11-on-11 work.

Carr keeps at it, finishing off with two straight connections to Thomas in the two-minute drill. Thomas makes catch after and catch, and by the end of the day, he has 10 receptions.

"Mike's looked better and better every time he's come out here," Saints coach Dennis Allen said that afternoon. " ... We kind of knew that at some point we'd start seeing what we kind of expect out of him, and I think we're seeing that more and more every day he's out here."

It is the most Thomas has caught all throughout training camp.

It is the most Thomas has caught in years.

As the Saints approach their first regular-season game against the Tennessee Titans on Sept. 10 (1 p.m. ET, CBS), the same question lingers every day: Can Thomas be the player he used to be? The one who started his career by posting four 1,000-plus yard receiving seasons (2016-19).

No matter the opinions of promise or doubt, there are no absolutes in football. There is only hope.

THERE HAVE BEEN moments in practice when it would have been easy to look at Thomas and picture the younger version of himself -- the bolder, brasher version who once hid a flip phone in the goal posts to pay homage to former Saint Joe Horn's famous touchdown celebration to highlight one of his own.

Former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who played with Thomas from 2016 to 2020, attended joint practices in Los Angeles against the Chargers in Week 2 of the preseason. Brees, who has been retired since 2021, was asked whether he'd still like to pick up the ball and throw to some of his old guys, and his answer was almost wistful.

"It's hard not to sit there and look at [running back Alvin] Kamara , [tight end] Jimmy [ Graham] and Mike T, and say, 'These three guys, right?' The moments that I had with them, if you could just bottle that up, right? That was pretty special," Brees told the official Saints podcast.

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Originally Posted by leilung (Post 978490) With Graham and Kamara in the mix, it's almost like someone said, "Hey! Let's get the Band back together again for a Reunion Tour!" I kinda like the idea... if they can stay healthy!

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Originally Posted by K Major (Post 978502) Not to derail the thread but is it too early to be concerned about Shaheed? Last I heard, he was doing "light" workouts @ practice. I just hope he doesn't rush back too soon. Those groin injuries are tricky. Especially with a speed guy. The season is long and a grind. Remember Donte' Stallworth? But yeah, MT will be fine.

Originally Posted by Rugby Saint II (Post 978511) We are putting a lot of faith in Rasheed Shaheed in his second year. He's had to miss training camp two years in a row now and those reps are so valuable to young players. He needs to get healthy and stay healthy. That should be the team mantra. Lol

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Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 980585) It all depends on what is meant by “back”. It’s great that Michael Thomas is back to playing. I hope he stays healthy all season and has a great year. That being said, here’s a link to his stats: https://www.pro-football-reference.c...T/ThomMi05.htm To say that Michael Thomas is back to the type of production that he used to have before his injuries is not true. Here’s hoping he gets there.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 980587) He's absolutely back. The only difference is he has help in Olave and Shaheed when three years ago he was the only option. When Underhill says he is absolutely back he's not talking numbers, he's talking ability, the way he looks on the field, the way move and runs his routes, the way he catches the ball. He's back to making the same plays as before, but not being required to make as many. I hope to hell his numbers are never forced to be what they were in 2019, but I have no doubt they could be if, God forbid, we lost Olave and/or Shaheed. Who Dat! :bng:

Originally Posted by Boston Saint (Post 980588) Whatever you have to tell yourself.

Originally Posted by mapcow (Post 983475) JAG ... number 13, nothing more.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 983480) In your dreams, cow.

Originally Posted by AsylumGuido (Post 983487) BTW, cow. Placed you back on ignore. You showed promise, but have just returned back to your one dimensional self. Happy trolling! ;)