The Lions released Mike Thomas on Monday, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. The move came less than a year after Detroit traded a fifth-round pick to acquire the wide receiver from the Jaguars.
Mike Thomas released by Detroit Lions
The Mike Thomas era in Detroit was brief as the Lions released the wide receiver on Monday.
Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
The 26-year-old University of Arizona product struggled during training camp, including seeing a lot of snaps with the third team. While the Lions saved some money by releasing the veteran receiver, they still had to pay him $1 million, which was guaranteed for the season, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Thomas’ career got off to a productive start and he caught 48 passes for 453 yards as a rookie. He followed that up with career-highs of 66 catches and 820 yards in his second season. The Jaguars rewarded him with a three-year contract worth $18 million, but his production dropped off following his first two seasons. He slumped to 44 receptions for 415 yards in 2011.
After catching 13 passes for 80 yards during the first seven games of the season, the Jaguars traded Thomas to Detroit for a 2014 fifth-round pick. Thomas had minimal impact in Detroit, catching five passes for 28 yards while appearing in nine games.
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