Pros and Cons of Lions Acquiring Saints WR Michael Thomas

As the Lions get ready for their preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills on Friday night, one of their biggest positions of weakness is at wide receiver.

Specifically, they're in big-time need of a No. 1 wideout, after the offseason departures of receivers Kenny Golladay and Marvin Jones Jr.

Sure, they've added players to the receivers room, most notably Tyrell Williams and Breshad Perriman via free agency, plus Amon-Ra St. Brown via the 2021 NFL Draft.

Yet, none of them are expected to "fill the shoes" of Golladay and Jones.

If Detroit general manager Brad Holmes is serious about upgrading the position, he should take a long, hard look at New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, a bonafide No. 1 receiver.

Thomas and the Saints are seemingly headed for a divorce, after the star wideout reportedly ignored calls from New Orleans officials for months after the 2020 season came to a close.

Adding the 28-year-old Thomas would provide the Lions with their best pound-for-pound wideout since recently enshrined Pro Football Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson donned the Honolulu Blue.

From 2017-19, Thomas, a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, produced three consecutive seasons of 100-plus catches and north of 1,200 receiving yards. He recorded a career-high and NFL-best 149 receptions for 1,725 yards in 2019, including a league-high 107.8 yards per game.

While he's got all the physical intangibles at 6-foot-3 and 212 pounds, as well as past numbers, to validate his status as a No. 1 receiving option, there are red flags to speak of with Thomas, too.

He's coming off a campaign in which he suited up for just seven games due to injury. And, his final stat line in 2020 consisted of just 40 receptions for 438 yards, to go along with zero touchdown catches.

It was a far from impressive season for Thomas, and now, it's uncertain whether he'll be healthy for the 2021 regular season.

In fact, the Ohio State product is expected to be sidelined for a significant portion of the start of the season, after undergoing surgery in June to repair a torn deltoid and other ligaments in his ankle. This relegated him to the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in July.

Both Lions head coach Dan Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have experience working with Thomas, from their time spent in New Orleans as assistant coaches on Sean Payton's coaching staff.

So, there might be interest from Campbell & Co. in acquiring the services of the 2016 second-round pick.

However, the ankle injury that Thomas is recovering from significantly diminishes his value, and it's reason enough for why the Lions should steer clear of the big-play wideout.

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