Should Broncos WR Demaryius Thomas Hold Out Into Season?
The Denver Broncos and Demaryius Thomas are in a pickle. Thomas is the team’s franchise player, and is not expected at team activities until he absolutely has to be, and perhaps not even then.
With Dez Bryant of the Dallas Cowboys also being named a franchise player this offseason, it’s entirely possible that both players are monitoring each other’s situations with their contracts to see what they might or might not do.
For Bryant, it’s a threat to sit out at the start of the season. My question is, why would Demaryius Thomas not do the same?
Well, the easy answer to that is because you hope Demaryius is just a good guy and doesn’t want to put his team in a bind like that, but statistically, production-wise, and what he has meant to this Broncos team, he could hold out and nobody would fault him for it.
Bryant and Thomas have put up similar numbers over the last few years, each player having an edge in certain areas. For the most part, they have been neck-and-neck. Thomas has been the better receiver in yards after catch, while Bryant has been better at tracking and catching jump balls downfield.
As was previously stated, both players are great, but they each have legitimate arguments as being the second best receiver in the NFL behind Calvin Johnson, who is getting paid $16 million per season, and statistically, both Thomas and Bryant have actually been better.
At this point, Dez Bryant holding out into the season is something we should at least monitor in the case of Thomas. We’ll remain optimistic he gets a long-term deal done, but we’re also not holding our breath. The Broncos probably don’t really want to pay a non-quarterback as much money as they’re getting ready to possibly pay Thomas, even a player with his level of talent.
That said, he deserves a new deal, and he should get his money while he can. Injuries in this league are too unpredictable.
It just remains to be seen whether or not the Broncos will be the team to give him that money.