With new Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith coming on board to try and help the team’s quarterback situation, they hope to see much better offensive play across the board, and that means that another weapon could help the entire offense out significantly.
Pro Football Focus’ Brad Spielberger sees former Saints All-Pro wide receiver Michael Thomas as the ideal wide receiver for Smith’s offense, and believes that Thomas could greatly help the team.
”Pittsburgh brought Allen Robinson aboard to serve as the big slot possession receiver in 2023, and while his lack of production was not entirely his own doing, perhaps the Steelers take another swing with Thomas coming in as the No. 3 alongside Diontae Johnson and George Pickens,” Spielberger wrote. “Moving Johnson and Pickens into the slot more to help create more separation on out-breakers like corner routes, an area Pickens excelled in 2023, adds more versatility to the whole unit.”
And Spielberger now projected the type of contract that Thomas would command, stating that Thomas would likely cost $6 million with a one-year prove-it deal.
Thomas could come far cheaper than a player of his caliber normally would come given his injury history. He missed a lot of time with an ankle injury and has yet to regain his form as a top NFL wide receiver at this stage in his NFL career. But what Thomas can do is out there and known to the Steelers and other teams. Still, it’s unlikely he will command a ton of money to land him on the perfect team for his resurgence.
Regardless of Thomas’ market, the Steelers could be an interesting fit for such a talent after the team missed just one recorder on the slot. If they add Thomas to the receiving corps to join George Pickens, they could help stabilize the group by adding Thomas and a draft pick.
More must-reads: