Update on New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas injury timetable

New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas is now eligible to come off the physically unable to perform or PUP list. He is now eligible to return to practice and potentially play as early as this week. Unfortunately, it is believed that Thomas is still a few weeks away from joining the team on the field. 

On Monday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport gave an update of big-name players coming off their team’s PUP list this week. One of the players he received an update on was the Saints All-Pro wideout. 

“… Michael Thomas has been battling a lower leg injury, ankle injury since having surgery in the spring. He is still expected to be a couple of weeks away. so that really quick infusion of offense for the New Orleans Saints does not sound like it’s coming this week or next week. 

Thomas news was to be expected

The news aligns with a previous report that it would take longer than six weeks to heal from surgery. Doctor David J. Chao from Pro Football Doc gave a brief assessment on when Thomas will be back on the field for New Orleans this season back in August.

“He is eligible to come back after six weeks. And the Saint have an early bye, so he could miss only five games, as some are saying. But we continue to believe it will be longer than that. Given the June ligament repair surgery, not clean up, ligament repair surgery, it is our belief that he will miss at least the front half of the season,” said Chao. “It would be good news if he could return early for the back half of the season at 100 percent.”

The New Orleans Saints are currently 3-2 on the season. They have looked like a Super Bowl contender at times and a team poised for a top-draft pick at others. New Orleans is attempting to acclimate Winston fully into the system as a starting quarterback. And with Thomas out, they are doing it without any of their top receiving threats outside of running back Alvin Kamara. Of the players from last year who have played this season, only two had at least 20 catches last season — Marquez Calloway (20) and Donte Harris (21).

The Saints would love to get Micheal Thomas back right now and help their offense. But it looks like they’ll have to continue to wait a little longer. And once Thomas is able to return it’ll surely open up the playbook even more on offense.