New Orleans Saints All-Professional large receiver Michael Thomas continues to be coping with an ankle harm that price him half the 2020-21 marketing campaign and all of final season.
And his standing stays unclear because the 2022-23 NFL season approaches.
On Thursday, Saints head coach Dennis Allen revealed that Thomas is uncertain to take part within the workforce's obligatory minicamp, per Bleacher Report, regardless of earlier experiences that Thomas was a lock to return to the sphere this season after nearly a two-year layoff.
"I believe mentally he’s in an excellent place and, once more, we’re simply going to let that course of play out and get him wholesome," Allen mentioned. "And look, now we have a very long time to go earlier than we play a recreation. I’m not searching for an enormous leap, I simply wish to see him hold getting a bit of higher every single day.
"We be ok with what Mike's carried out within the rehab course of. There are nonetheless a number of hurdles that we have gotta climb — with any of our guys that had any accidents [that] they're attempting to get again from."
That mentioned, the query stays: Can Thomas return to the participant that he as soon as was?
"I definitely hope so," Allen mentioned of the three-time Professional Bowler. "I believe that is what all our objectives are. I could not reply that query, however that is definitely what we anticipate and hope."
Thomas has averaged 117.5 catches, 1,378 yards and eight touchdowns per season through the first 4 years of his profession with New Orleans. In 2019, his final full yr performed, Thomas posted an NFL report 149 catches in 2019 for 1,725 yards en path to changing into the 2019 NFL Offensive Participant of the 12 months.
He performed in seven video games (5 begins) through the 2020-21 season whereas coping with ankle and hamstring accidents earlier than lacking all the 2021-22 marketing campaign after present process surgical procedure the offseason prior.
With Thomas' standing up within the air, and QB Jameis Winston working his approach again to full power for New Orleans, the Saints reloaded on the large receiver place this offseason with first-round draft decide Chris Olave and free agent acquisition Jarvis Landry to hitch the likes of as Marquez Callaway and Tre'Quan Smith.
Thomas signed a five-year, $96-million contract extension in 2019. He's set to depend $13.1 million towards the Saints' wage cap in 2022, per Professional Soccer Community.
