Demaryius Thomas has opted to miss offseason activities while the Broncos negotiate a long-term deal with him.
Denver’s star wide receiver has elected to rehab his Achilles tendon after he suffered an ankle injury during practice on Dec. 3. Thomas fought through the injury during the final month of the NFL season, but claims the injury still ails him after the Broncos’ season ended in January.
While the injury certainly plays a factor, this is likely a strategic move by Thomas to leverage the Broncos into making a long-term deal. Denver used its franchise tag on Thomas March 1, meaning that the six-year player out of Georgia Tech will remain in Denver for another season and be paid a $12.83-million guaranteed salary for the next year.
When all is said and done, Thomas can wait to sign his tender until July 15 and may miss any offseason activities between now an then. As Denver gears up for a new offense under new head coach Gary Kubiak, the question remains who is the bigger loser in this situation: the Broncos or Thomas?
The Sports Show’s Woody Paige believes the fans will take general manager John Elway and the Broncos’ side while the NFL Player’s Association will stand in Thomas’s corner. Furthermore, Paige thinks Thomas could keep himself on the outside looking in. With the Broncos gearing up for a more run-based offense under Kubiak and with good competition in fellow wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and potentially Cody Latimer, Thomas may not be the go-to guy this season. That’s not to mention tight end Owen Daniels who knows Kubiak very well.
“He’s [Sanders] going to be the primary receiver because people are going to gang up on Demaryius Thomas,” Paige said. “They’ll go man to man on him or zone Cory [sic]. I think that Emmanuel is going to be the guy that’s going to get single coverage.”
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