DT isn’t done, but Broncos receiver’s role may shrink, says Schlereth
Sep 18, 2018, 11:04 AM
Demaryius Thomas isn’t done being productive, but the Denver Broncos wide receiver’s role may become smaller and smaller as the 2018 season moves forward, Mark Schlereth said on Tuesday.
The “Schlereth and Evans” co-host compared Thomas’ situation to that of Devontae Booker, who has seen a reduced role since the Broncos drafted Royce Freeman and with the emergence of undrafted running back Phillip Lindsay.
“Think about Booker. You get a Freeman who comes in here. You get a Phillip Lindsay who develops. And the next thing you know, Booker is getting less and less opportunities,” Schlereth said. “I don’t think it’ll be that fast, but I think what you’ll see is Courtland Sutton getting a few more opportunities a game.
“And those opportunities are going to come at the expense of Demaryius Thomas.”
On Monday, “Stokley and Zach” co-host Brandon Stokley pointed to Thomas’ recent history of drops as another check against the veteran wide receiver.
“He’s got to catch the ball more consistently, especially now when you have the depth that you have behind him, these young guys,” Stokley said. “You just got to be more consistent with your hands. You can’t have drops like he’s had the first two games of the season. You just can’t do it.”
Against the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, Thomas was the only Broncos player with double-digit targets but managed to catch only five of the 11 passes thrown his way.
The week before, against the Seattle Seahawks, Thomas also had a shaky start to the game, with a handful of drops and a holding penalty, which he blamed on pregame jitters.
“It was like my first game again. I was so excited and happy to be back on the field. The first three plays were kind of tough, a couple of quick drops but we kind of got on track,” Thomas said.
But, ultimately, Thomas’ possible shrink role is a twofold issue, Schlereth said.
“I think that Courtland Sutton is so talented that you want to give him more opportunities, but I think the bottom line is for a guy like D.T. if you continue to make mistakes your role is going to continue to shrink,” Schlereth said. “That’s just how football works”
Follow digital content producer Johnny Hart on Twitter: @JohnnyHart7.
