FOXBORO, MASS. — It remains to be seen whether Demaryius Thomas will make the New England Patriots roster, let alone be an impactful player for the defending Super Bowl champions.
If nothing else, however, the veteran wideout left a strong impression in his Patriots debut.
Thomas suited up Thursday night against the New York Giants in the Patriots’ preseason finale. It was the 31-year-old’s first game action since an Achilles injury ended his 2018 season with the Houston Texans.
And, well, Thomas looked pretty good, hauling in seven passes for 87 yards to go along with two touchdowns. Most importantly, he looked healthy.
Watch Thomas record his first catch in a Patriots uniform in the video below:
.@DemaryiusT with a first down for the @Patriots in his 2019 #NFLPreseason debut! #NYGvsNE pic.twitter.com/dBHqF5JlOk
— NFL (@NFL) August 30, 2019
Now, watch his 35- and 3-yard TD receptions, respectively:
Fans could interpret Thomas’ extended playing time Thursday night one of two ways: Either he needed to prove he deserves a roster spot, or the Patriots wanted to help him knock some rust off. It’s also possible that both scenarios are true.
Of course, Thomas’ performance should be taken with a grain of salt, as it was made against mostly backups and scrubs. But hey, production is production.
Also making his much-anticipated return Thursday night was Josh Gordon. The star wideout had an up-and-down first half, but did connect with rookie quarterback Jarrett Stidham on a 19-yard reception in the first quarter at Gillette Stadium.
