Where will Michael Thomas be playing football in 2024? The former New Orleans Saints All-Pro is still waiting to find the right fit as a free agent, along with a dozen of his teammates from last year’s Saints team. With the clock ticking down until training camp, it’s looking like a long summer might be ahead of him until he finds the right landing spot.
ESPN’s Matt Bowen matched some of the best remaining free agents with possible team fits ahead of training camp, and he has a clear pick for Thomas. Here’s why he argues the Dallas Cowboys should give Thomas a call:
When healthy, Thomas can still uncover and work multiple levels of the field. However, the injury concerns are legit, as the 31-year-old wide receiver has played in just 20 games over the past four seasons. And while Thomas could wait until after camps start to find the best landing spot, let’s focus on Dallas as a possibility; he could make an impact there on a one-year deal.
In Mike McCarthy’s offense, Thomas could compete with Jalen Tolbert for the No. 3 role alongside CeeDee Lamb and Brandin Cooks. He could align as a boundary X and show his ability to work the seams out of the slot. He caught 39 passes in 2023 for 448 yards and a score.
It’s an interesting fit for a couple of different reasons. For one thing, the Saints are going to Dallas in Week 2 this year, so Thomas would get an early shot at taking down his former team. For another, he would be reuniting with Brandin Cooks. Thomas and Cooks played together back in 2016, his rookie year, and ironically it was Thomas taking targets away from Cooks that resulted in Cooks getting traded to the New England Patriots the next offseason.
How would Saints fans feel about this? Thomas has become a divisive figure among the fanbase for publicly criticizing Dennis Allen, Derek Carr, and the team medical staff on social media. The Cowboys are very much seen as rivals for the Saints given their proximity, and both fanbases always travel well to cheer on their team against one another. There would be some friction between some fans and their former favorite player, to say the least.
Still, this is all speculation at best. Thomas can still help a team win football games even with his extensive injury history, and chances are he’ll be playing somewhere in the fall. As to the odds of him suiting up for a team that’s competing against the Saints? That’s anyone’s guess.
