New Orleans Saints: Can Michael Thomas win NFL MVP in 2020?
Lamar Jackson was a shoo-in for MVP this year but Michael Thomas played at an MVP level too. Could 2020 be the year for the New Orleans Saints star?
When the New Orleans Saints eventually paid wide receiver Michael Thomas last offseason, they unlocked an entirely new level to his greatness. And while the 2019 season was great for many players and Lamar Jackson ran away with NFL MVP, Thomas undeniably played at an award-worthy level.
From the moment he put pen to paper with the Saints, the roughly $100 million coming his way proved to be an elite motivator and fuel for the wide receiver. Thomas put on a show in 2019, including breaking multiple records throughout the season and being the shining star of the Saints offense after Drew Brees went down.
Thomas was on fire in 2019 and it’s no surprise that he won Offensive Player of the Year, submitting a campaign that will go down as one of the best of his career. With how impressive he was last season, however, there is reason to believe that he’ll be even better in 2020. For Thomas, it seems like the only way to go is up — but will it be the year he can capture MVP honors?
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As the 2020 offseason begins and excitement brews, it’s still unclear if Brees will be returning at quarterback but it seems likely. While Thomas played well alongside Teddy Bridgewater, his connection with Brees is unprecedented and among the best in the league.
Even if Brees decides to retire, Thomas has proven his greatness as he still flourished while playing with Bridgewater under center. Yes, the Saints would still have to re-sign Bridgewater but Thomas has proven well-equipped to thrive no matter the situation around him.
But if there’s a primary reason why 2020 could be an MVP-winning year for Thomas, it’s that he came so close this past season and is just entering his prime. After all, he wasn’t an MVP frontrunner by any measure entering 2019 but, after his record-breaking performance, he’ll be on many MVP radars coming into the 2020 season.
There are undoubtedly some things working against him coming into the 2020 season. The uncertainty at quarterback that could lead to him playing with a new signal-caller entirely, the attention that will be paid to him by defenses and the pressure of coming out of a record-breaking season will all be factors.
Again, though, Thomas has proven he thrives when he’s feeling the heat and can weather any adversity with aplomb. He’s on the shortlist for 2020 MVP candidates — or at least he should be.
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Of course, if Lamar Jackson or Patrick Mahomes (or someone else) lights it up in 2020, they’ll likely get picked over him because MVP has become such a quarterback-driven award. Heck, it would be nice if Brees’s name was announced. But rules are made to be broken, so 2020 could be the year for Michael Thomas and his trophy case.