If anyone has been talking about the Detroit Lions’ need for a receiver this offseason, it’s us here at A to Z Detroit. We’ve written several pieces about it since the start of the summer, and the Lions have opted not to fill the job because they believe in their current roster. So far, that’s how things have gone. Lions general manager Brad Holmes has mentioned the potential of still acquiring a receiver this summer. Former Saints receiver Michael Thomas is one of the most frequently mentioned players. In fact, I was questioned about him for our weekly mailbag story, which prompted this article.
On paper it makes a lot of sense that the Lions might add Thomas. He was with Dan Campbell in New Orleans for years, so Campbell knows what to expect from him. Thomas was also an All-Pro receiver during that time.
He also fits what the Lions need in terms of body size and contested catch ability. So why not right? There’s just a few problems here that are of note.
The first is that Thomas is 31-years-old and while he was an All-Pro receiver and the leagues Offensive Player of the Year at one time, he hasn’t been that guy in a while. And we mean a very long while.
Thomas played seven games in 2020, missed the entire 2021 season and then played just three games in 2022. Then he played just 10 games in 2023 and only started seven of them. before finishing the year on injured reserve. Since that huge 2019 season, Thomas has racked up just 95 receptions for 1,057 yards and four touchdowns in 20 games over the course of four years. A change of scenery isn’t likely to be help for him. He might just be done.
The other major red flag is that Thomas was arrested last November for allegedly throwing a brick through someone’s car window. Following the Cameron Sutton incident, the Lions are unlikely to recruit a player with additional legal issues. Even if this isn’t as bad as Sutton’s alleged crime. There is a reason the Saints released Thomas in March. It wasn’t simply that they don’t see a future for him and believe he’ll never be the same player he was. He also failed the physical. He could be unable to play anytime soon.
That’s why the Lions are probably just going to stay away from this one. If they were going to take a shot, it would likely be a one-year deal full of incentives and maybe he makes it out of camp, but again, it’s seems like something the Lions are definitely going to avoid.
