The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cleveland Browns to clinch the AFC North but lost Zay Flowers to injury during the regular season finale. Needing a win to clinch a home game in the playoffs, Baltimore sent out their starters to take on Bailey Zappe’s squad, and Flowers unfortunately suffered a knee injury. Early reports indicate that Flowers will be week-to-week, which means he probably won’t play in the Wild Card round but could return later on if the Ravens take care of business.
No matter how long Flowers is sidelined, the Baltimore Ravens could use another wide receiver. Rashod Bateman has played well this season, but he can’t do all the heavy lifting alone. With Diontae Johnson on the Houston Texans, Baltimore must find another veteran receiver who can help out down the stretch. While most of the good players already have teams, the Ravens could kick the tires on former Saints All-Pro Michael Thomas.
Ravens Could Sign Michael Thomas After Zay Flowers Injury
At his peak, Michael Thomas was arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL. A second-round pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, the Ohio State product began his career with an impressive 92 receptions for 1,137 yards and nine touchdowns while developing an immediate rapport with quarterback Drew Brees. He built on that impressive campaign, recording three straight Pro Bowl nominations from 2017 to 2019 while recording 378 receptions for 4,375 yards and 23 touchdowns.
Most of this production came from Brees, but Thomas remained just as effective when Teddy Bridgewater filled in for a portion of the 2019 season. By all accounts, Thomas appeared to be destined for the Hall of Fame and a long, storied career.
Instead, injuries forced him to miss most of the next three seasons. When he returned to the field in 2023, he couldn’t recapture his old form. Appearing 10 in games, Thomas finished the season with 39 receptions for 448 yards and one touchdown. He wasn’t the same player as before, but he proved he could still be a reliable depth option in the right offense. However, he couldn’t justify his massive cap hit, leaving the Saints no choice but to cut him.
Possible Baltimore Signing
Thomas reportedly garnered some interest when first released, but the wide receiver never found a new home. However, with the playoffs right around the corner, the veteran could fill in while Zay Flowers works his way back from injury. Historically speaking, Baltimore prefers veteran receivers, and that’s especially true with the postseason on the line. Perhaps fourth-round pick DeVontez Walker can earn some targets, but you can’t risk a misunderstanding with a player with such limited experience.
Baltimore acknowledged they needed more depth at wide receiver when they traded for Diontae Johnson. Unfortunately, that didn’t work out, as Johnson’s frustration with the offense and his usage led to a release after recording just one reception in four games. Now without an adequate Plan B, the Ravens could kick the tires on Thomas and see if there’s anything left in his tank. Don’t expect him to average 10 targets in the playoffs, but he could be a situational player to help move the chains on clear passing downs.
Main Photo: Tommy Gilligan – USA Today Sports
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