Denver Broncos: Will Demaryius Thomas Be Able to Fix His Drop Issues?

The Denver Broncos remain unbeaten after six weeks this season. Their defense is arguably the best in the league, but the Broncos offense has a ton of question marks even with an unblemished record.

The passing game is not as dangerous as it used to be with quarterback Peyton Manning showing his age. Wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is also having a problem with drops.

Thomas puts the blame on himself.

“I have no idea. I have to figure something out. I’m not playing my best right now. I take the blame for that. The first one I took my eyes off of the ball, knowing I have to keep my eyes on the ball as a receiver. It happens, but they were too easy of a pass to drop.” Thomas concluded, “I take the blame. I have to be better.”

Will Thomas be able to fix his drop issues? Let’s take a look.

History of Drops

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Thomas has a history of dropping passes, so this is nothing new. Even dating back to his college days at Georgia Tech, Thomas was known to have some lapses in concentration from time to time. He was raw as a receiver coming out of college, but we’ve seen him work hard to elevate his game since quarterback Peyton Manning was signed as a free agent.

Looking over the numbers while Manning has been with the Broncos, it’s clear to see that Thomas is going to have his fair share of drops. In fact, Thomas has finished among the leaders in drops every year but one (2013) with Manning as his quarterback.

Year	Routes	Targets	Drops	Drop %	League Avg Drop %
2012	565	142	7	4.9	4.7
2013	646	140	4	2.9	4.3
2014	582	185	8	4.3	3.6
2015	227	75	3	4.0	3.2

After six games in 2015, Thomas has three drops. This puts him on pace to have eight drops in 2015. Looking over his history, that’s about what he normally gets each season.

Thomas is perplexed when talking about what is holding the offense back this year.

“I don’t know how to put it. We are moving the ball and putting up a lot of yards but can’t put points up like we want to.”

With fewer drops, the Broncos offense can be more efficient. A more efficient offense could be more effective and turn more drives into touchdowns.

Is He Hurt?

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Earlier this year, Thomas hurt his neck. In the third quarter against the Minnesota Vikings, Thomas took a big hit from safety Harrison Smith. It was an injury that limited him in practice as the team prepared to take on the Oakland Raiders the following week.

Leading up to the game against the Browns, Thomas did not practice on Wednesday or Thursday. On Friday before their Week 6 contest, Thomas was a limited participant.

Kubiak doesn't believe that Thomas was feeling the effects of his neck injury in Week 6.

“I think he was fine. I think he came out of the game okay. I know he had the one play he got a pretty tough tackle on. He is feeling good today. If we were back at it today working out today, he'd be fine.”

The bye week comes at a good time for the Broncos. Thomas will now get a week of rest before the team prepares to play the Green Bay Packers at home in Week 8.

Trying to Do Too Much

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In the game against the Browns, Thomas had a drop in the fourth quarter when he was obviously looking down the field before securing the pass. They needed to get into field-goal range, and a completion on that pass would have likely gotten the Broncos into Browns territory with time winding down.

Kubiak mentioned that play when talking about Thomas on Monday.

“The one play there is a big glaring one because it could have probably gotten us pretty close to field-goal range in regulation. He was targeted 17 times yesterday, so he gets a chance to make a lot of plays and we count on him.”

Even with that fourth-quarter drop, Thomas kept seeing targets come his way in overtime. He’s a favorite receiver of Manning, and Thomas appreciates that trust.

“He [Manning] has confidence in me. I take pride in that, and it helps to have him by my side. He keeps giving me chances.”

Thomas is letting some passes slip through his fingers, but Manning is still going to keep him heavily involved in the offense. The 17 targets Thomas got on Sunday match his career-high mark (2014, Week 17 versus Raiders).

Summary

Thomas has a bit of a history when it comes to drops. The problem is not new, and it’s something the Broncos are used to. He was hurt earlier this year, but Thomas seems to be close to full strength now. Thomas should be able to heal up enough to be close to full strength after the bye week.

While the offense is struggling, Thomas doesn’t need to force the issue. Thomas is trying to do too much on some plays. Instead, he needs to just snare the pass then look to run when he’s got the ball firmly in his grasp. The Broncos offense has been off—but it’s not going to be corrected with one big play. It will take more time for the offense to perform more efficiently.

Kubiak has confidence that Thomas will remedy this problem.

“He'll correct those things. When he doesn't make a play, I know he's hard on himself. I know he'll bounce back. We've got great expectations for him, but nobody is harder on himself than he is.”

Can Thomas fix his drop issues? Yes, he can cut down on the drops, but it’s just a part of his game. There’s no mystery, or injury or anything to really correct here. Dropping a few passes here and there is just something you get with Thomas. The Broncos are fine with his drops because he’s hard on himself and will work to correct the problem.

All quotes and injury/practice observations obtained firsthand. Record/statistical information provided via the Broncos media department unless otherwise noted. Advanced stats via ESPN's employees-only database.

Contract and salary-cap information provided by Spotrac. Transaction history provided by Pro Sports Transactions.