Ex-Steelers LB Argues for Pittsburgh to Sign Michael Thomas

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,” Spielberger wrote.

Spielberger now projected the type of contract that Thomas would command, stating that a one-year prove-it deal would likely cost $6 million. But with some of the contracts going around now, there would be a real chance that it could come in at even less than that. And former Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats wants to see them land him, too.

“This is another better scenario for him,” Moats said. “He’s not dealing with end of Drew Brees, Sean Payton leaving, you got Taysom Hill they’re saying is he your quarterback, and you’re often injured. I get it. Now, we going to pay you cheap and we are going to see if you can get back to what you were once viewed as in this league. I look at it like that. Now, he’s cheap, but proven, and the other receivers in that room are going to want to show they’re nicer than Michael Thomas.”

Thomas was released by the Saints in March, even after restructuring his contract in 2023. He was only set to make $1.21 million in base salary and a $2.2 million roster bonus. Thomas caught 39 of 60 targets for 448 yards and one touchdown last season.

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 and Roman Wilson, they could help stabilize the group by adding Thomas,

Thomas is supremely talented, a two-time first-team All-Pro and a three-time Pro Bowler. He led the NFL in receptions twice, yards once and was the NFL Offensive Player of the Year in 2019. But the issue? It is those injuries. Thomas hasn’t played a full season of football since 2019. He missed time with a high ankle sprain in 2020, missed all of 2021 after ankle surgery, all but three weeks of 2022 with a foot injury, and seven games last year with a knee injury. He also got into a fight with a teammate in 2020 and was arrested for battery in 2023.