The New Orleans Saints have a lot of reasons to be excited for the 2022 season. One of those reasons is because the return of Michael Thomas finally seems to be near. Thomas played sparingly in the 2020 season before missing the entire 2021 season with a nagging ankle injury. But Thomas finally seems to be good to go, and the Saints are excited to see him return to the field.

Thomas has been continuing to work his way back to full health throughout training camp, which has resulted in his status for Week 1 of the 2022 season being somewhat murky. However, it sounds like Thomas has taken a big step towards being ready for the game, as he was present for the Saints closed walk-through practice on Monday, which indicates he is preparing to play for the Saints on Sunday.

This would be a huge boost for the Saints. Their offense looks very dangerous after a strong offseason of work, and having Thomas back on the field would certainly help in that regard. Thomas proved himself to be one of the best wide receivers in the game before he struggled with his injuries, and now he's looking to return and prove that he hasn't lost a step.

Thomas will obviously be eased back into the action after missing most of the past two seasons, but it's clear the Saints offense is going to be better with him on the field. New Orleans should be favored to beat the Atlanta Falcons in their Week 1 contest regardless, but having Michael Thomas on the field would certainly help, and it looks like his status is trending towards him playing in the Saints season opener.