Demaryius Thomas is in the midst of a very important season. The wide receiver is in a contract year after the Denver Broncos opted not to extend him the summer. Playing well could give Thomas a big pay day next offseason while a down year could mean he suddenly becomes expendable. Right now, Thomas is not playing up to expectations, but stresses that contract drama is not the reason.
Thomas has 141 yards off 13 catches this season, but has been targeted 27 times by quarterback Peyton Manning. So far this season he has yet to amass 65 receiving yards in a game for the first time since Manning signed to the team. He has one touchdown and four dropped passes to his name. Consistency has been an issue and it is something that could seriously hurt if it continues.
"I know I can be better, I know I can play better, I know I can do things better than I've done them so far,'' Thomas said, via ESPN.com. "I haven't done the things I know I can do. I just haven't been consistent, and it bothers me. I think about it, I keep practicing hard, doing the things I need to do. I want to make it right.''
Thomas is in the final year of his rookie contract and spent a lot of the offseason trying to negotiate an extension. The Broncos presented the wide receiver with a five-year deal, but so far nothing has been agreed upon. The Broncos have a lot of contracts to worry about coming up. Julius Thomas, Wes Welker, Orlando Franklin and Terrance Knighton will all be looking to get paid this summer. The players with the best season will get the most money and right now that is Thomas.
The Broncos are not afraid to let a player walk if a contract cannot be agreed upon. Eric Decker found that out the hard way. The wide receiver was prepared to demand more money than Denver was willing to give and now he plays for the Jets. Thomas could be in a similar situation. The Broncos were able to replace Decker with Emmanuel Sanders, so they can do the same with Thomas.
The wide receiver stressed that he would spend the bye week working on chemistry with Manning and is confident that his stats would imprve.
"Just keeping working, working with Peyton, working on the offense, that's what I do,'' Thomas said. " ... When we come back [from the bye], we have a lot of the season still to go and a lot of things we want to do as a team. We'll be ready.''
