Well, that’s that: New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is active for the first time since Week 1, having missed seven weeks due to injuries and a one-game benching. Thomas turned in several days of limited participation in Saints practice before dressing out for Sunday night’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The return of the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year can’t be understated, even if he’s playing on a pitch count. Having him back in the lineup will demand coverage assignments shifted towards him — and away from other weapons like Alvin Kamara, Emmanuel Sanders, and Jared Cook.