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New Orleans Saints: Michael Thomas can lead team in receptions

By Kevin Parvizi

Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Michael Thomas (3) catches a second quarter touchdown pass against Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Cyrus Jones (5) in the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 1, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes receiver Michael Thomas (3) catches a second quarter touchdown pass against Alabama Crimson Tide cornerback Cyrus Jones (5) in the 2015 Sugar Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports /
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Last season, the New Orleans Saints leader in every single pass-catching statistic was second-year pro Brandin Cooks, who caught 84 balls for 1,138 yards and nine touchdowns.

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Though the New Orleans Saints passing attack was first in the NFL in yardage and fourth in yards per attempt, Mickey Loomis and Co. weren’t satisfied with the state of their current pass-catchers. Moving on from veterans Benjamin Watson and Marques Colston wasn’t difficult, but the surprise came with how aggressively they upgraded both players. Coby Fleener is now one of the highest-paid tight ends in the league, and the Saints spent a second-round pick on Ohio State wide receiver Michael Thomas.

Willie Snead‘s surprise campaign was a huge key to success for the Saints offense, because he came in and allowed Cooks to become a beastly deep threat by moving the chains for Drew Brees. The Saints could rely on Snead to get open, and while his limited physical tools prevented him from taking over games or being anything more than an outlet for Brees, that was sufficient.

The Saints, however, want their offense to hit another gear of brilliance, especially since Brees proved that he isn’t decline. Reports of his demise were unsurprisingly just as premature as the ones associated with Tom Brady not too long ago, and with big pass-catching upgrades from the front office, Brees should follow up in a big way, just like Tommy B did.

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Tempering expectations for rookie wide receivers is important, but with the way players like Odell Beckham Jr., Amari Cooper, Allen Robinson, Stefon Diggs, Tyler Lockett, and Jamison Crowder have stepped in and shined in their first seasons, I have high hopes for Thomas under the guidance of an elite quarterback and elite play-caller.

Nothing against Snead, but Thomas is an upgrade in a few ways. Thomas runs a faster 40, has a better vertical and broad jump, is four inches taller, and is far superior in both the three-cone drill and 20-yard shuttle.

He also does stuff like this.

Yeah, I heard you guys like “route-running”. Apparently that’s some broad, vague buzzword that we place as a label in wide receiver evaluations.

Matt Waldman has an insightful explanation of the nuances of “route-running”, specifically as it pertains to this very receiver prospect.

I admit that I like Thomas more than many others, and part of that is the fact that I believe he is more advanced mentally than many think. The way he approaches the route, the way he minimizes wasted movements, and the way he dominates after the catch have me smitten in him, especially as a fit for the Saints.

Save for Brady and maybe Aaron Rodgers, nobody is better than Brees at making the mediocre relevant, as far as wide receivers go. Thomas is no Devery Henderson, Lance Moore, or Robert Meachem, though. He is a big, explosive, and smart wide receiver with slightly undervalued physical tools, and he has prime opportunity as the Saints No. 2 receiver.

Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) gestures after a catch in the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 27, 2015; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks (10) gestures after a catch in the second half against the Jacksonville Jaguars at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports /

I am banking on the fact that he will beat out Snead for the gig across from Cooks, and, from then on, it isn’t inconceivable for him to rack up more catches than the former first-round pick out of Oregon State. As you can see in the slant route broken down by Waldman in the YouTube video above, Thomas can win in the short and intermediate areas of the field, and he will also have the benefit of superior quarterbacking and play-calling. One key point about his time at Ohio State? Many believe he wasn’t utilized properly.

And Reghi is a college guy, not an NFL writer like me.

I think the world of Drew Brees. There are a bazillion examples of that on this site. I also feel the same about Thomas. So yeah, you can say that, from my perspective, it is the perfect marriage.

The safe money is on Cooks, who is the team’s best receiver and should lead the time in receiving yards by a wide margin, to repeat as the Saints leader in receptions. And while Fleener or even a running back could lurk, I like Thomas’s chances of threatening for 80 catches in his first season. He has a well-rounded skill-set, and he has more No. 1,  “X” receiver traits than some would have you believe, though I wouldn’t necessarily buy into his pro day numbers, which included a 4.43 forty.

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Laquon Treadwell and Corey Coleman are the best bets to lead this rookie class in receptions, but Thomas is the one darkhorse floating around. Part of it is because of his own talent, but the more important portion of the equation is a combination of landing spot and quarterback. Yes, he is the type of guy Brees can come to rely on due to his combination of above-average athletic traits and smarts.

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