Michael Thomas still has yet to be seen during Saints OTA practices, but he has been at the facility working out as he prepares for a return in the 2022 season.
And the star WR gave a bit of a sneak peek Tuesday afternoon with a video of himself running sprints at the Saints' indoor facility in Metairie. The video was posted to his Instagram account with the caption "talk soon."
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The video won't erase lingering concerns over Thomas' health, but it is a good sign that he's getting meaningful work in as he progresses back from the ankle injury, surgery and setbacks that kept him off the field for the entirety of the 2021 season. Head coach Dennis Allen confirmed that Thomas was in the facility working, but indicated the plan all along was for him to return for training camp.
The Saints began the third and final set of OTAs on Tuesday, which will be open to the media on Thursday. It's unlikely Thomas will be on the field for team drills, but his rehab is clearly progressing. The Saints will also hold a mandatory minicamp from June 14-16.
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Thomas' last NFL action came during the Divisional Round loss to the Bucs in the 2020 season, during which he was clearly limited by the injury and held without a catch. The ankle injury occurred late during a Week 1 victory over the Bucs, and kept the star WR out for multiple weeks. Thomas returned late in the season before going back on IR leading into the playoffs.
If Thomas can return at full strength for 2022 and beyond, he'll be a key piece in what is suddenly a dynamic WR room with recent addition Jarvis Landry and 1st rounder Chris Olave, another Ohio State connection. Thomas and Olave have been working out together during the offseason as well, the rookie said last month.