Receiver Michael Thomas is not yet in the New Orleans Saints OTAs. But he is expected to return from his ankle injury in time for training camp, according to coach Dennis Allen, and is present and rehabilitating with the team during the voluntary training period.
Meanwhile, quarterback Jameis Winston has already returned to training camp just seven months after the LCA broke, as the two offensive pillars are working to recover from major injuries.
Thomas, 29, missed the entire 2021 season with an ankle injury after delaying his first surgery to repair several ligaments until June; then suffered a setback in November that required a follow-up procedure. The 2019 NFL offensive player has not been completely healthy since he initially suffered an ankle injury in Week 1 of the 2020 season and missed a total of nine games that season.
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“I think he’s doing well in his rehabilitation. He’s not ready yet. But he’s here, he’s being rehabilitated, he’s getting better. And we’re certainly looking forward to getting him out here,” Allen said. “I know he’s working his tail to recover. And we feel good about where he is now.”
When asked if Thomas would be ready for training camp, Allen said, “This is definitely our plan.”
“If I had a crystal ball and I could tell you all these things, I would probably make a lot more money and do something different,” Allen said. “But yes, our hope is that he is ready to go to training camp. So that’s what we’re pushing.”
Thomas’ presence at the OTAs is notable because there was a lack of communication between player and team last spring, and then friction between the two sides after he chose to wait until June for surgery.
But that tension seemed to have been turned off early last season. And Allen has spoken positively about Thomas ’recovery and attitude throughout this offseason, saying recovering him with rookie receiver Chris Olave is like adding two first-round draft picks to the position.
When the Saints drafted Olave, Thomas immediately invited his former Ohio outstanding teammate to stay with him and train with him for a couple of weeks at his shared base in Southern California.
The Saints also signed free agent receiver Jarvis Landry after the draft, as they continue to renew last season’s NFL passing offense.
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As for Winston, Allen warned that “We still have a long way to go.” But he said: “I think it’s looked good … We like the progress he’s making, we like where he’s at. And we hope that continues.”
Because OTAs are practical without padding and without contact, it is difficult to assess the extent to which Winston is still limited. But Allen stressed that the Saints will be smart with the 28-year-old’s schedule.
“Look, with the way he works and how hard he works, it doesn’t surprise me,” Allen said of what Winston has already been doing on the field. “I think we have to keep being smart with that, which I think we are. We’re going to keep pushing for it to get better, but we’re still going to try to be smart.”