New Orleans Saints: Who will step up with Michael Thomas out again?

With Michael Thomas missing Week 3, which New Orleans Saints player will step up?

To say Week 2 was a disappointment for the New Orleans Saints would be an understatement. It seemed like the Las Vegas Raiders were going to be an easy win. They’d barely beaten the Carolina Panthers the week before. With the Saints rolling into town, things seemed easy and they were at first. Eventually, everything started to crash and burn, especially for Drew Brees, who was playing without star wide receiver Michael Thomas.

As devastating as the loss was, it’s a tough lesson for the Saints. If anything, it proves how much work they still have to do. One thing that was missing from Monday night’s game was the magic of Thomas. The wide receiver brings a certain pizzazz to the offense that can’t be replaced. Unfortunately, it looks like Thomas will be sitting out for Week 3 against the Green Bay Packers.

With Thomas out, it doesn’t leave much hope for Brees as Thomas is his go-to guy. Without Thomas, the Saints offense seemed to flounder. While certain players were good, Brees looked pretty lackluster and that’s not a good look for a possible Super Bowl favorite.

However, it begs an even bigger question: With Thomas out again, who will step up and manifest his role on offense until he returns?

Which offensive playmaker can embody Michael Thomas’ role with the Saints?

Before getting started, the only players being focused on are going to be either wide receivers or tight ends. We all know how impressive Alvin Kamara is. He already plays as big of a role as Thomas does. His impact is immeasurable so he has no reason to step up. However, there are a few players who have the chance to step up and could end up being solid stand-ins for Thomas.

One player is certainly Jared Cook. Cook has become another favorite target of Brees’s since joining the Saints in 2019. With the team struggling at the tight end position, Cook came in and breathed life to their offense. Even though he’s getting up there in age, he’s still playing at a decent level and putting up some good numbers. While he had a slight decline against the Raiders, he did record his first touchdown of the season.

While Cook is a good player, he doesn’t have the same impact as Thomas. Obviously, there’s an age gap between them and Cook isn’t as dynamic. However, he continues to be a solid part of the offense. Despite not being utilized as much as Thomas, he’s a key part of the offense. Either way, he isn’t likely to step up if Thomas misses another game.

That leaves us with two guys who have the potential to be Thomas stand-ins. The first is Emmanuel Sanders while the other is Tre’Quan Smith. These two are very different sides of the coin. Sanders is a veteran player who came to the Saints during the 2020 offseason. Meanwhile, Smith has been with the Saints since 2018 and has yet to truly breakout. Ultimately, both of them have a lot to prove.

Looking at Week 2 against the Raiders, Smith had a clear advantage. Sanders was held to only one catch for 18 yards. As for Smith, he finished the game with five receptions for 86 yards. It was a good day for Smith although neither recorded a touchdown. For Sanders, some might chalk it up to him getting used to the Saints offense. As for Smith, it’s finally going to be his time so it’s tough to pick who will step up.

As much faith as I have in Sanders, it seems like Smith has the chance to step up and replace Thomas’ role. He’s younger than Sanders, has more experience in the Saints offense, and has had more time to work with Brees. While he’s had a short career, Smith has shown a lot of promise. He might not put up nearly as impressive of a stat line as Thomas but he works hard and has earned his place in the offense.

That’s not to say Emmanuel Sanders won’t make an impact. If anything, he has another chance to revive his career as Jared Cook did. Sanders might not take Thomas’ role but he can certainly become an interesting prospect for opposing teams to deal with. Either way, losing Thomas has the potential to be a devastating blow for the New Orleans Saints and they need to figure out a plan if he’s out for the long-term.