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It seems like ever since he came into the NFL, there has always been something that has kept Demaryius Thomas from playing to his immense talent level. In his two years in the NFL, Thomas has dealt with a foot injury, an Achilles injury and even a minor finger issue. However, in last year’s playoffs, the Pittsburgh Steelers got an up close and personal look at what Thomas is capable of when he is healthy. And just think, now the star of last year’s playoffs has a quarterback who can actually throw the football. The old cliché is that the third season tends to be the breakout season for a wide receiver and with Peyton Manning in the Mile High City and no injuries to speak of, the sky is the limit for a wide receiver who looks like he has the talent to be a star in the NFL. Demaryius Thomas joined 102.3 the Ticket in Denver with Les and Jojo to talk about how this offseason compares to last, if he feels he needs to run more precise routes with Peyton Manning as the quarterback, if he has talked much with Peyton Manning off the field, how he feels in terms of his health heading into training camp and the goal of the offense this season.
How this offseason compares to last year’s:
“It’s totally different. Last year we were rushing and we didn’t have much time to work with the quarterback, really didn’t know who our starting quarterback would be last year and Tim came out and did a great job, we went to the playoffs and to be able to go out in OTA’s and minicamp and to work with a quarterback I think he has helped a lot because I think you learn a lot of stuff working with the quarterback and working with a new system. Then you build time and relationships and to come out today and know that you had a chance to work with him before today it really helps.”
If he feels he needs to run more precise routes with Peyton Manning as the quarterback:
“It’s running more precise routes. Peyton wants certain routes to be run a certain way and we try to do that to our best ability. If you’re in the right spot you’re pretty much going to get a lot of chances to catch some balls.”
How much time he has spent talking to Peyton Manning off the field:
“I think in mini-camp we had a couple of times we stayed on the field and did one on one things with me and him together. We might run some routes and might tell me what kind of stuff he wanted and the way he wanted it ran. That’s probably basically it. We talk a couple of times inside but most of the time it’s on the field.”
How it feels to finally be healthy:
“I’m great man. This was my first year to be able to participate in OTA’s and mini-camp and to come out here healthy in training camp is totally different. I feel good, feel good about everything that’s going on right now.”
On the goal of the offense this season
“I’m not going to say it’s a goal but we’re capable of a lot of things because I still think we’re going to be able to run the ball and Peyton Manning as a quarterback can get it to spots no other quarterback can. Watching Peyton when he was with the Colts, they averaged like 30 points per game and I really can’t say a number because I really don’t know. Every team in football is getting better so you never know what you will go up against so I’m not going to put a number but I think we’re going to be putting up some points.”
How much it helps him to be in his third season given this offensive transition this season:
“It’s a great thing. To come out and I’ve been in two years and probably the most I played was last year to see a lot of things that go on and to see Peyton come in and we do different things it’s exciting.”
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