5 free-agent wide receivers the Vikings could sign in 2019
By Adam Patrick
Demaryius Thomas
2018 Stats:
- 59 catches
- 677 yards (11.5 average)
- 5 touchdowns
Thomas may be the priciest of the free-agent receivers that the Vikings could possibly sign. But his price tag still isn’t expected to be super unaffordable, especially since he is 31-years-old and coming off a torn Achilles.
Given his age and the injury he sustained in December, Minnesota may be able to sign him at a discounted price.
Thomas is at the backend of his NFL career, but he still probably has another decent season or two left in him. Especially if he gets to work with new Vikings offensive assistant Gary Kubiak again.
With Kubiak as his head coach in 2015 and 2016 for the Denver Broncos, Thomas finished with at least 90 catches, 1,000 yards, and five touchdowns in each season.
His experience with the new Minnesota assistant coach would be useful in helping the team’s young receivers with the installation of the offense this year. At 6-foot-3, 229 pounds, Thomas would also give the Vikings another big target in the red zone.
The timetable to return to the field from an torn Achilles can range anywhere from five to nine months, or even longer. So there’s a possibility that Thomas may not even be cleared to practice until the 2019 preseason.
If he’s affordable and Minnesota is fine with him sitting out the majority of their offseason practices, then a reunion with Kubiak could be in order for the veteran receiver.