Top Free Agent Landing Spots For WR Michael Thomas

Michael Thomas isn’t long removed from being arguably the best receiver in the NFL. After winning the receiving title in 2019, Thomas has struggled through several injury-riddled seasons, limiting him to 20 games in four seasons.

Thomas has still been able to produce to a lesser degree when he’s been able to play, averaging about five receptions for 53 yards a game, albeit with four touchdowns in four years. In his prime, Thomas would shred defenses over the middle of the field, using his frame and agility to create easy separation and snag practically everything thrown his way. He was also successful vertically, winning down the sideline and in the deep middle, where his height and catch radius plagued cornerbacks and safeties.

Though his injuries may have sapped his burst and speed, Thomas still boasts a massive frame and sure hands. His days as a coveted No. 1 option are likely over, but his skill and savvy should still be attractive to teams in need of a reliable possession threat. He could still earn a sizeable role as a secondary option in a new city.

Thomas, 31, was drafted by the Saints in the second round out of Ohio State in 2016. He was entering the final year of a four-year, $5.118 million rookie contract when he agreed to a five-year, $100 million extension in 2019. 

The Saints brought Thomas back on a one-year contract last March worth $10 million. He became an unrestricted free agent in 2024 after the Saints designated him as a June 1 cut. 

In 2023, Thomas appeared in 10 games for the Saints and caught 39 passes for 448 yards receiving and one touchdown.

We have him included in our Top 100 – 2024 NFL Free Agents list.

Giants

The Giants are coming off a disappointing season following a promising start in 2022 under HC Brian Daboll. That year, 2019 first-rounder Daniel Jones finally showed signs of life as a viable starting quarterback. Daboll won coach of the year and Jones cashed in with a big extension in the offseason. That all came crashing down in 2023. Criticisms of the team from the previous year proved prescient — the offensive line regressed, the defense fell apart and the offensive weapons were simply inadequate. Jones looked lost, and now the entire organization enters a pivotal year in 2024.

New York drafted LSU WR Malik Nabers at No. 6 to give their receiving corps a star, and he should deliver. He was widely considered one of the best receivers to come through the draft in years, and consensus had him as an elite prospect who could anchor a passing attack in the NFL. Around him the Giants return WRs Jalin Hyatt, Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton and Isaiah Hodgins to go with free-agent signees Allen Robinson and Isaiah McKenzie.

While this group is fast and athletic, they lack size, and that’s an area Thomas could help. Robinson, Hyatt, Slayton and McKenzie are all undersized and primarily operate from the slot in the NFL. A lack of size at receiver has been a problem for the Giants in recent years, and while their wide receiver room got better this offseason, it didn’t get much bigger.

Thomas is a tall, big-bodied receiver who can win in contested situations, over the middle of the field and in the red zone. It’s a feature sorely missing from this Giants squad. He also has a veteran presence and experience in the NFL that a young group of talented receivers could benefit from. He’d be an excellent fit in New York.

Chargers

The Chargers gutted their wide receiver corps this offseason, cutting Mike Williams and trading away Keenan Allen. Williams and Allen had been the star duo in Los Angeles for years, and the cupboard is a bit bare behind them. Quentin Johnston was a first-round pick in 2023 but struggled through an unremarkable rookie season, and the Chargers used a second-round pick on Ladd McConkey in this draft. Josh Palmer is the most accomplished player, though he profiles best as a secondary option, and they brought in DJ Chark Jr. as a free agent for additional reinforcements.

Signing Thomas would alleviate the pressure on Johnston to become an immediate contributor, as a healthy Thomas can still be formidable. He would take on a lot of Allen’s vacated targets, as both players can play in the slot and on the outside and work best over the middle of the field. Palmer could settle into a secondary role once again and McConkey wouldn’t be required to handle a huge workload right out of the gate.

Los Angeles has lofty expectations after paying Jim Harbaugh a pretty penny to be their new head coach. They still have one of the best quarterbacks in the game in Justin Herbert and some stars across the roster. Continuing to struggle on offense due to a shaky receiving core would unnecessarily waste a year of their star quarterback’s prime. Thomas can come in and be a stabilizing presence, adding to the ensemble Herbert has to work with.

Patriots

The Patriots are beginning a total rebuild. Bill Belichick is out, and his hand-picked replacement, Jerod Mayo, is the first new head coach in New England in over 20 years. After three failed years of the Mac Jones era, the Patriots selected Drake Maye at No. 3, hoping to usher in sustained success at quarterback post-Tom Brady.

Belichick was often criticized for his failure to surround Jones with quality receiving weapons. Mayo and the Patriots’ staff have worked to rectify that with Maye this offseason, drafting WR Ja’Lynn Polk in the second round and WR Javon Baker in the fourth. They join free-agent signee K.J. Osborn as well as holdovers such as JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne and Demario Douglas.

New England’s receiving group got a definite boost through these additions, but they’re still young and unproven. The few established veterans on the roster have been middling players at best in recent years, and both Polk and Baker could start in this offense.

For a team looking to support a rookie quarterback, the Patriots lack reliable veterans at receiver. Thomas could be a huge boon here. He complements Maye very well, as one of Maye’s biggest strengths is his ability and willingness to attack the middle of the field. If Polk or Baker struggle at first, Thomas could provide security and production as these younger players get their feet underneath them in the NFL.

The Patriots are widely considered to have the weakest supporting cast of the teams who drafted rookie quarterbacks this year. Thomas might no longer be a superstar, but he can be a stabilizing presence, something young quarterbacks desperately need.