Demaryius Thomas is coming off the worst year of his career. He’s 31 years old and was just traded from one rival to another for a sixth-round pick.
It begs the question: Does the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver and Super Bowl champion have anything left?
“I’m a little older,” Thomas admitted, “but I still got it.”
Time will tell. The 6-foot-3 Thomas will have a significant role with the Jets, asked to replace out-for-the-season starter Quincy Enunwa in coach Adam Gase’s offense. Thomas doesn’t expect there to be too much of a transition. He knows Gase’s offense from his time with him in Denver from 2010-14. He played with Trevor Siemian, the new Jets’ starting quarterback in the wake of Sam Darnold’s bout with mononucleosis, with the Broncos, too.
“It’s easy,” Thomas said of re-immersing himself in the offense. “I played in the offense about five years, so some of the stuff I’ve been seeing, I kind of remember it. It’s coming back quick.”
In 15 games last year with the Broncos and Texans, Thomas caught 59 passes for 677 yards and five touchdowns. Those numbers were down for him. From 2012-17, he caught at least 83 passes and 949 yards each season. He also tore his Achilles tendon in Week 16 last year and was placed on IR.
The Texans released him in February and the Patriots signed him to a one-year contract. After getting cut at the end of training camp, they brought him back before shipping him to the Jets on Tuesday, a surprising move between the two AFC East teams.
“It was a lot last year, but I still can play ball,” he said.
Thomas has yet to practice as a Jet, held out as he deals with a minor hamstring injury he suffered with the Patriots. His goal is to be active and help out his old friend Siemian.
When Gase was asked if Thomas had to practice on Saturday — the team’s final workout before the game — to play Monday night, he smirked.
“We’re running out of bodies,” Gase said.
The receiver-needy Jets are hoping he’s more than just a body. Actually, they’re counting on it.