The Pittsburgh Steelers are searching for a starting wide receiver opposite George Pickens. Former New Orleans Saints wideout Michael Thomas should be their answer. That’s who former Steelers WR Emmanuel Sanders advocated for to round out Pittsburgh’s offense, stating his case during a Thursday morning appearance on Up and Adams.
“Mike Thomas, he’s a free agent right now… is that receiver room deep enough?” Sanders said when Kay Adams asked who he’d add to the team. “That’s my only thing. So who would they add? Obviously Mike hasn’t been healthy. But every time I think about Mike, I think about a healthy Michael Thomas making plays.”
In his prime, Thomas was one of football’s best receivers. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, he led the league in receptions in 2018 and 2019 and yards the latter year. But injuries became a recurring theme in 2020, Thomas appearing in only seven games and failing to catch a touchdown pass. He missed all of 2021 with an ankle injury, undergoing surgery in July before suffering a mid-year setback. Thomas returned healthy for 2022 but suffered a dislocated toe in Week 3, requiring another surgery. He would later say his body failed to “respond” to the hardware inserted to help him heal and he missed the rest of the year.
The start to his 2023 season was a promising one, Thomas healthy to open the season and playing in the Saints’ first 10 games. But he went down with a knee injury in Week 10, was once again placed on injured reserve, and sat out the rest of the year. The Saints released him in March.
Now 31 years old with just 20 games played over the past four years, Michael Thomas comes with plenty of risk. Repeated leg injuries aren’t likely to subside and have sapped the explosiveness and big-play ability that made him a top threat. But he’s the most talented player of the available free agents, a thin group with mid-tier names scooped up right after the draft. Sanders spoke highly of his work ethic.
“When I was with him in New Orleans, the way that this guy prepares. I mean, I’ve never met a guy besides myself and Antonio Brown, who even at practice, every single rep, he’s going full speed,” Sanders said. “I remember a few times in New Orleans, we had walkthroughs and Mike’s still running full speed at walkthroughs…I’m looking at him like, ‘You’re crazy.'”
Sanders knows Brown was the gold standard of work ethic. Putting Thomas in that same space is a high compliment.
Pittsburgh may set its sights higher and look to pull off a trade. But that requires a team willing to trade with the Steelers and finding a dance partner has proven difficult. Names like Jauan Jennings have come off the board while Brandon Aiyuk now seems a pipe dream. It may lead the team back to the free agent market and to Thomas and hoping he can contribute for as long as possible.
