Michael Thomas’ Ankle Injury Not ‘100 Percent Healthy’ Entering Saints Minicamp

AP Photo/Gail Burton, File

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is not 100 percent healthy at the moment as he looks to return from an ankle injury that cost him the entire 2021 season.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen told reporters on Thursday that Thomas is considered “doubtful” to participate in the team’s mandatory minicamp (h/t Katherine Terrell of The Athletic).

“I’m good with where Mike Thomas is. I would much rather him be 100 percent healthy and out here and all those kinds of things, but that’s not where we’re at right now. He is busting his tail to get himself ready to go, and I feel like he’s making significant progress. I think mentally he’s in a great place and, again, we’re just going to let that process play out and get him healthy. And look, we have a long time to go before we play a game. … I’m not looking for a huge jump, I just want to see him keep getting a little better every day.”

Thomas only played seven games in 2020 after injuring his right ankle. He then missed all of 2021 after undergoing surgery on that same ankle and later suffering a setback.

Allen provided hope Thomas would return in 2022 during a May 6 appearance on the Rich Eisen Show.

“That would be our hope,” Allen stated regarding Thomas’ Week 1 prognosis (h/t Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk).

“We feel good about what Mike’s done in the rehab process. There’s still a few hurdles that we’ve gotta climb, with any of our guys that had any injuries they’re trying to get back from.”

The question also is whether Thomas could return to the sensational form he showed during the first four years of his career when he averaged 117.5 catches, 1,378 yards and eight touchdowns per season.

“I certainly hope so,” Allen said. “I think that’s what all our goals are. I couldn’t answer that question, but that’s certainly what we anticipate and hope.”

Thomas posted an NFL record 149 catches in 2019 alongside 1,725 yards en route to Associated Press Offensive Player of the Year honors. He’s an invaluable piece to the Saints’ offense, and hopefully, he’s good to go for Week 1 when New Orleans plays the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 11.

Outside Thomas, the Saints reloaded at wideout this year, adding Chris Olave in the first round of the draft and picking up Jarvis Landry in free agency to join a wideout room that still has talents such as Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith and Juwan Johnson.

But Thomas will still be WR1 when healthy as the Saints look to rebound following a 9-8 season where they just missed the playoffs.