New England Patriots wide receiver Demaryius Thomas is facing an uphill battle, as he is coming off of a 2018 campaign in which he tore his Achilles while with the Houston Texans.

The Patriots decided to sign him earlier this offseason to give him a shot, and after starting training camp on the physically unable to perform list, Thomas is now back in pads, a pretty incredible development for anyone, let alone a 31-year-old:

“I still can go,” Thomas said on Sunday, according to Kevin Duffy of The Boston Herald. “ I still can go. (Just have to) knock little rust off and keep building the days.”

Once one of the NFL's most feared wideouts, Thomas has lost some of the shine that made him one of the best receivers in the league, as he caught just 59 passes for 677 yards and five touchdowns in 15 games between the Denver Broncos and the Texans last season.

But the four-time Pro Bowler still thinks he has it in him to be a top guy in the aerial attack:

“I can feel it certain days, and certain days I can’t,” Thomas said. “It’s a thing that I feel when I play. I still got it, I still got it. I’ve touched it here and there.”

Of course, Thomas is not even guaranteed a roster spot, as the Patriots already have the likes of Julian Edelman, Josh Gordon, Phillip Dorsett and rookie N'Keal Harry at wide receiver.
Thomas' best season came back in 2014, when he hauled in 111 receptions for 1,619 yards and 11 scores. He probably won't ever do that again, but he is hoping to help the Patriots in any way he can.