NFL Player News

Thomas is expected to undergo surgeries on his shoulder and left ankle this offseason, Adam Schefter of ESPN reports.

Thomas has a torn deltoid in his shoulder and injured ligaments in the upper part of his ankle. The ankle issues caused him to miss nine games in 2020, and this report from Schefter suggests he might've sat out longer if he hadn't been so eager for a Super Bowl push in what was expected to be Drew Brees' final NFL season. The campaign had a disappointing finish -- both for Thomas individually and the Saints as a whole --- but there were some encouraging developments along the way, including Taysom Hill completing 71.9 percent of his passes in four starts. Thomas averaged 7.5 catches for 85.8 yards on 9.3 targets in those four games, and he was even more productive in 2019 when Teddy Bridgewater played QB for New Orleans. The soon-to-be 28-year-old wideout should continue to put up big numbers even if Brees retires, though he will face an added challenge heading into 2021, likely missing part of the offseason program or even training camp while he rehabs from multiple surgeries.

Moore secured a reserve/future contract with Baltimore on Monday.

Moore spent the 2020 campaign with the team's practice squad after entering the the pro ranks undrafted. The receiver will now aim to make his NFL debut in the upcoming year.

Johnson secured his only target for a 15-yard reception in the Buccaneers' 30-20 divisional-round win over the Saints on Sunday.

The rookie's one grab stood out, as Johnson exhibited excellent control, getting in near-parallel position to the ground while making a difficult catch away from his body and then maintaining a secure grasp of the ball as he went down. Johnson logged 15 snaps overall while helping fill in for Antonio Brown, who appeared to spend large portions of the second half on the sideline with what was later labeled as a knee issue. If Brown is limited again or ruled out for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Packers, Johnson may once again see some run as a complementary target.

Miller brought in one of two targets for 29 yards in the Buccaneers' 30-20 divisional-round win over the Saints on Sunday.

Miller played his usual abbreviated role in the victory, but his one catch served as the Buccaneers' longest gain from scrimmage during the contest. The second-year speedster could be set for an elevated role in Sunday's NFC Championship Game versus the Packers if Antonio Brown (knee) is limited or forced to sit out.

Montgomery rushed four times for 14 yards and caught his only target for 13 yards in the Saints' 30-20 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday.

Montgomery saw some extended work out of the backfield with both Latavius Murray (quadriceps) and Taysom Hill (knee) out of action, but he was unable to turn his opportunities into meaningful production. The hybrid running back/receiver is slated for free agency in 2021, and his future with the Saints is unclear. Even if he returns, he'll likely play behind Murray and Alvin Kamara.

Peoples-Jones caught his lone target for 23 yards over 46 snaps in Sunday's 22-17 playoff loss to the Chiefs.

Even with the return of KhaDarel Hodge, who played eight snaps, Peoples-Jones was the clear third wideout behind Jarvis Landry and Rashard Higgins. That's telling as the Browns head into the offseason. The rookie out of Michigan was on the inactive list the first three games of 2020 but eventually earned a greater role when given an opportunity to play. Initially, he was used as the primary returner and fill-in on offense, then gained the confidence of the coaching staff and replaced Hodge. Peoples-Jones finished the regular season with 14 catches, 20 targets, 304 yards and two touchdowns. With Hodge becoming a restricted free agent and Higgins set to be unrestricted in the coming months, Peoples-Jones is poised to be the full-time No. 3 behind Landry and Odell Beckham (knee) when 2021 kicks off.

Hodge was not targeted over eight offensive snaps in Sunday's 22-17 playoff loss to the Chiefs.

Hodge was activated off the COVID-19 list but was used more on special teams (12 snaps) than on offense. He opened the season as the clear No. 3 wideout, but his usage lagged significantly behind Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry. Then, as rookie Donovan Peoples-Jones showed promise when given a chance, Hodge fell further behind on the depth chart. Hodge becomes a restricted free agent during the offseason and is looking at a similar role, in which he's used heavily on special teams, if the Browns bring him back.

Smith (ankle) caught all three of his targets for 85 yards and two touchdowns Sunday in the Saints' 30-20 divisional-round loss to the Buccaneers.

Smith had missed the Saints' previous four contests with a bad ankle, and while his team took the loss, the downfield threat produced his best statistical performance of the season upon his return. Michael Thomas (zero catches) was keyed in on by the Buccaneers' defense, allowing Smith to take advantage of single coverage when he was called upon. The majority of his damage was done on a trick play in which backup quarterback Jameis Winston took the top off of the secondary and connected with the speedy wideout on a 50-yard bomb. Drew Brees simply doesn't have the arm strength at his advanced age to generate big plays like that for Smith, so it will actually hurt the receiver's fantasy value if the Hall of Famer decides to continue playing next year. However, If New Orleans has a new quarterback under center in 2021, and said signal caller can stretch the field the way we saw Winston do Sunday, then Smith could begin to gain traction as a fantasy asset, as he consistently sits atop the team's yards-per-reception rankings, finishing with a mark of 13.2 this regular season even with a declining Brees starting for most of the season.

Thomas was targeted four times and did not record a reception in Sunday's season-ending 30-20 loss to the Buccaneers.

In a shocking turn of events, last season's receptions leader was held without a catch for a full game as a starter for the first time in his career. Drew Brees and the Saints' coaching staff clearly wanted to focus on shorter dropbacks and quicker throws to combat Tampa Bay's aggressive blitzing defense, but that still doesn't excuse the lack of involvement Thomas received, as he is an elite route runner at all three levels. Perhaps the 27-year-old was still being hampered by the high-ankle sprain that cost him four games at the end of the regular season; whatever the case, it was a disappointing end to a rough 2020 campaign for the All-Pro wideout. Thomas was limited to seven contests during the regular season due to injuries and off-field conduct, finishing with career lows in receptions (40), yards (438) and touchdowns (zero). Unlike his fellow playmaking star, Alvin Kamara, Thomas could benefit from Drew Brees' potential retirement this offseason, as the legendary quarterback saw his arm strength and deep accuracy fall off a cliff this year. If the Saints are forced to look for a new starting quarterback in 2021, we could see a different version of Thomas who sacrifices reception volume for a big boost in yards per reception.

Evans brought in one of three targets for a three-yard touchdown in the Buccaneers' 30-20 divisional-round win over the Saints on Sunday.

On an evening when the Buccaneers passing game cooled off significantly, Evans tied a season-low figure in receptions while just exceeding his low-water mark in yards. However, the multi-time Pro Bowler at least made his one reception count, as it allowed Tampa Bay to overcome a 6-3 second-quarter deficit. Evans didn't appear to show any limitations with respect to the hyperextended knee he suffered back in Week 17, and he'll look to bounce back with a much more productive environment in what may be challenging weather at Lambeau Field during next Sunday's NFC Championship Game.