Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas has played in Denver’s offense for longer than Peyton Manning, but Thomas isn’t teaching Manning anything. In another sign of how much the Broncos’ offense will be Manning’s offense, Thomas says Manning basically functions like a coach in Denver.
“Everybody knows he’s one of the best in the game, a future Hall of Famer,” Thomas told the team’s website. “I feel like just being out there with him, it helped because it seemed like he knew what was going on. He answered questions and he was like another coach because I was learning stuff from him that I didn’t know. I feel like he’s going to help me out this year.”
Thomas got off to a slow start after the Broncos took him in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft, with just 22 catches as a rookie and only seven catches through the first 12 weeks of his second season. But then Thomas burst onto the scene late in 2011, with two 100-yard games in December and a 204-yard game against the Steelers in the playoffs. Now that he’s playing with Manning, Thomas says that’s just the beginning.
“I feel like I can be better,” Thomas said. “I was going through a finger injury -- I’m not going to say I was in the best shape, but I played decently. I feel like I’m coming in this year being in great shape, no injuries and I feel like the confidence is going to build up and build up.”