2. Michael Thomas, New Orleans Saints
Whether Michael Thomas belongs in the conversation regarding the elite talents at WR has become a point of contention over the past few months. Detractors point to the route tree he is asked to run, as well as the fact that some of his routes come from the slot, and say that there are more complete players at the position.
But from where I sit, he’s among the best there is.
This route is a perfect example of what he brings to the table:
The route Michael Thomas ran to break the single-season receptions record was so cold 🥶 @Cantguardmike @Saints pic.twitter.com/2XTNiJxrOL
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) July 8, 2020
When stacking players in a position group, it becomes easy to get caught in the scheme trap. Digging in a little deeper, you can see beyond what they are asked to do, and into what they can do in other systems. Sure, Thomas gets the benefit of playing in a friendly offense, with a great quarterback in Drew Brees, and with some talent around him. And no, he doesn’t run “just slants.”
Watch the move he makes, and the separation he gets, on this route breaking towards the left sideline:
Look at this double-move at the bottom of the screen to convert a 3rd and 17:
Hey, if the book on you is that you “only run slants,” use it to your advantage, right?
Here he is beating press coverage at the line of scrimmage with footwork and strength. This play was reviewed for potential Offensive Pass Interference, but upon review the completion was left to stand:
Thomas has put up elite numbers every season in the NFL, and for his career Saints’ passers have an NFL passer rating of 118.5 when targeting him in the passing game. That is elite, as is Thomas himself.