Mike Thomas is in a perfect situation.
Just ask him.
"It's an offense that I always dreamed of playing in," the veteran wide receiver said after Saturday morning's pracrtice.
Drafted by the Jaguars in 2009, Thomas spent the first three years of his NFL life in Jacksonville. In 2010 he finished with a career-best 66 catches for 820 yards and four touchdowns. He also caught the Hail Mary touchdown verus the Texans that season in mid-November, that sealed a Jacksonville win.
He was traded to Detroit in 2012, but didn't play in the regular season in 2013 after suiting up in the preseason for the Cardinals. The time away and the new offense in Houston have him energized. In fact, he said he can prosper the same way Wes Welker and Julian Edelman did in the same type of offense head coach Bill O'Brien helped coach in New England.
"Watching the Wes Welkers, the Edelmans, they look like they have a blast every year," Thomas said. "I'm excited to be here."
Thomas is competing for playing time at the slot receiver position with Keshawn Martin, Alan Bonner and a few others. He's confident the slot is the spot for him with the Texans.
"I think the sky's the limit," Thomas said. "I believe in myself. This offense is geared for guys like myself to have success. As well as the other guys."
The return of Andre Johnson on Friday, combined with the other skill position players has the sixth-year pro excited about the Texans capabilities.
"It's an offense where we can just run up and down the field with the best of them," Thomas said. "We're going to have some matchup problems for a few teams, but we just have to keep working and getting better."
Thomas is also in the mix on special teams as a returner, and said he loves the "hecticness" of that comes with catching a punt and trying to make a big play.
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