Bill Belichick likes what he’s seen from Demaryius Thomas since the veteran wide receiver began practicing for the New England Patriots last week.
But he needs to see more before determining how Thomas might be able to help the team this season.
“We’ll just take it day-by-day,” Belichick said Monday, six days after Thomas was removed from the physically unable to perform list. “Certainly, he’s done some impressive things, but it’s stringing them together. It’s being able to do them on a consistent basis and come back and do it again.
“Really, that’s pretty much everybody’s situation; he just entered into it a little bit later. But we’ve had guys in that category, the guys that have already gone through that for this year. Yeah, so we’ll just take it day-by-day.”
Thomas is working his way back from an Achilles tear that ended his 2018 season in December, preventing the former pro bowler from participating in training camp and sidelining him for the Patriots’ first three preseason games. The former Denver Broncos star admitted he felt “a little rusty” in his return to practice last Tuesday but remains confident in his abilities.
“I can still go,” the 31-year-old said Sunday after practicing in full pads for the first time as a Patriot.
Thomas’ best days likely are behind him — his reception and yardage totals have decreased in each of the last four seasons — but his experience and physical tools (6-foot-3, 225 pounds) make him an intriguing weapon for a New England offense that revamped its receiving corps this offseason.
Belichick offered a similar take on recently reinstated receiver Josh Gordon, who made his 2019 practice debut Sunday after being removed from the non-football injury list.
“Same thing,” the head coach said. “… We’ll just take it day by day.”
