WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W.Va. -- New Orleans Saints receiver Michael Thomas is technically an unproven rookie with hardly a week of training camp under his belt.Could have fooled his teammates, and even coach Sean Payton.You wouldnt know he was a first-year player if you just came to practice, Payton said. You would just think hes one of the receivers out here making a lot of plays.Payton used the word amazing, to describe one play made by his sure-handed, second-round pick. And that was only the first of two one-handed catches, in tight coverage, of long touchdown passes down the left sideline.To make both plays, Thomas had to extend and contort his body to the point of crashing to the turf. Yet he found a way to corral the ball each time, drawing roars of approval from not just spectators, but other players on the field.When Thomas has been able to stay on his feet after a catch, he has demonstrated the ability to pick up considerable yards after the catch, once using a sudden jump-step to avoid a defender before sprinting toward the sideline and turning the corner.He has been encouraging when you see him in traffic. Hes got really good hands away from his body. So, hes not someone that lets the ball get in on his chest, Payton said. That will give him a chance to have a little bit more run-after-the-catch ability.Thomas made yet another tough grab during Wednesdays 11-on-11 drills, when he reached up to snag a slant pass that second-string quarterback Luke McCown zipped between quickly closing defensive backs Keenan Lewis and Jamal Golden.Both defenders met Thomas as the pass arrived, trying to rip the ball away as they made the tackle. They were unable to dislodge the ball from Thomas grip.I love that kid. He has a nose for the football, said McCown, a 13th-year veteran who has lined up with Thomas several times in the first handful of camp practices.Hes got this kind of -- golly -- just this want to get the ball no matter where its at, McCown said.Thats what you want in a receiver -- a guy that just wants the ball to be in his ZIP code, and hes going to find a way to come down with it, whether theres somebody hanging on him or not.The 6-foot-3, 212-pound Thomas was drafted 47th overall. He had solid, but not necessarily extraordinary statistics at Ohio State last season, catching 56 passes for 781 yards and nine touchdowns.But the Saints were less concerned with Thomas stats than his particular skills.At the very least, his height and sure hands made him a good candidate to help fill the void created by the departure of Saints all-time leading receiver Marques Colston, who was released last winter, following his 10th season.Already, Thomas is getting a number of snaps with starting quarterback Drew Brees, who hasnt hesitated to throw the rookies way and has praised how quickly he learns.Thomas also has a former star NFL receiver in the family -- his uncle, Keyshawn Johnson. Thomas is not as flamboyant as his uncle. He is more soft-spoken and emphasizes humility, even as he projects confidence.After a recent practice, Thomas could be seen doing extra sprints; he was punishing himself for a false start in full team drills.That was my idea. I let the team down, I feel like, by moving too early, Thomas said. I can cost the team by doing that, so do something to correct it. Stay humble.Still, Thomas said he and his uncle talk, all the time, and that Johnson has been an important resource, teaching him how to hone his receiving skills and develop into an all-around pro.Thomas eagerness to explore ways to improve led him to strengthen his hands with yoga-type exercises.Brandin Cooks, who was New Orleans leading receiver last season, said he recalled hearing about Thomas affinity for hand yoga in the offseason, but forgot all about that until he saw the first of Thomas spectacular one-handed catches in training camp.Im like, `Maybe theres something to it, Cooks said. He has great hands.Whether Thomas turns out to be as productive as his famous uncle remains to be seen, but his acrobatic catches in camp have heightened expectations.Theyre probably going to expect that from me, so Im probably going to get another opportunity to make that (type of) play, so be ready when it presents itself, Thomas said. Its a momentum game. So if I can start that fire (with a big play), Id like to be that person.Game notes CB Keenan Lewis, who began training camp on the Saints physically-unable-to-perform list, took part in his first practice on Wednesday. ... DT Nick Fairley and S Erik Harris, who both left practice with undisclosed injuries on Saturday, returned on Wednesday. ... Payton said the Saints have signed S Jamal Golden, DE Matt Shaughnessy and G Jordan Walsh. ... The Saints have waived DT Lawrence Virgil and assigned S Alden Darby and WR Kyle Prater waived-injured designations.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and AP NFL Twitter feed: http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Tyrone Calico . -- Catcher Brett Hayes has agreed to a $630,000, one-year contract with the Kansas City Royals, avoiding salary arbitration. Al Burton . -- Most satisfying to Russ Smith about No. https://www.cheapnfljerseyschina.co/brian-bonner-jersey-for-sale/ . The Montreal Canadiens announced on Friday that the veteran forward will return to the teams line-up on Saturday night when the Habs visit the Nashville Predators. Charles Mann . The recently retired Stern was elected Friday to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and will be enshrined with the class of 2014 on Aug. Tom Nelson . -- Charlie Graham stopped 67 shots as the Belleville Bulls edged the visiting Guelph Storm 6-5 on Saturday in Ontario Hockey League action. MANKATO, Minn. -- Two-and-a-half years ago, Mike Zimmer was debating whether he should take a second interview with the Minnesota Vikings and risk another round of rejection in his ongoing quest to be an NFL head coach.On Thursday, Zimmer began his third training camp with the Vikings knowing the team plans to invest in him for years to come.The Vikings kicked off training camp Thursday by announcing they had signed their head coach to a contract extension, rewarding Zimmer for leading the team to its first NFC North championship in six years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but general manager Rick Spielman said, There is no doubt that Coach Zimmer is going to be our football coach here for a long time.The team approached Zimmers agent, Marvin Demoff, about a new contract this spring, intent on rewarding the coach whose exacting style helped the Vikings become the first team ever to host a playoff game in a temporary stadium last year. Zimmer was not headed into the final year of his current deal, so the Vikings didnt have any urgency to complete the deal from a contractual standpoint. Nonetheless, the team, which moves into its new $1.1 billion stadium this fall, also appears to have its football foundation in place.Im extremely grateful to the Wilfs and to Rick, Zimmer said. They kind of came to us and wanted to get it done. They really didnt have to; there was nothing that was pushing this deal. I feel very, very fortunate to bee the coach of the Vikings.dddddddddddd Its a great organization with a lot of great people. Theres no way we could have had the success that weve had to this point without the people in the front office, the people in the business (side) and all those things. Its good to get it done now and have a chance to move forward.Zimmer became a head coach for the first time at 58 years old, and didnt seem to betray any sense of relaxation now that the deal is finished.Thats what pushes me, is that someone else can come and take my job if we dont play as good as we can play, he said. Proving people wrong, thats just my mentality.Zimmer, who is 18-14 in two seasons at the Vikings helm, led Minnesota last season to its first NFC North division title since 2009 before the team exited the 2015 season playoffs with a wild-card loss to Seattle.Vikings owner Zygi Wilf had high praise for Zimmer after the deal was announced.Mike has instilled a very positive atmosphere over the past three years and our players have thrived under his tutelage and leadership, said Wilf. His focus on helping our players develop and maximize potential, individually and collectively, is critical for our current and future success. We believe the continuity established with Mike leading our football team is a very positive step for our organization. ' ' '
