Leading up to the NFL trade deadline, Denver Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas felt there was a '50-50' chance that he would be traded. And today, just hours before the 4pm deadline, he was.
Thomas, who has spent each of his nine seasons with the Broncos, was dealt to the Houston Texans in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. According to ESPN, the teams will also swap seventh-round picks.
"Demaryius had an incredible run here and we can't thank him enough for everything he's meant to the Broncos," Broncos general manager John Elway said in a statement. "He developed into an elite player over the years, establishing himself as one NFL's most productive, consistent and reliable wide receivers. D.T. was a big part of so many wins and memorable moments as a Bronco. Although it's tough to end this chapter, we're excited about the talent we have at the wide receiver position and wish Demaryius all the best with the Texans."
In eight games this season, Thomas has just 36 receptions for 402 yards and three touchdowns, but he'll now get a chance to line up opposite of Pro Bowl wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins. The Texans, 5-3, are currently sitting atop the AFC South and were in need of another wide receiver after Will Fuller suffered a torn ACL in a win over the Miami Dolphins on Thursday.
Ironically, the Texans will travel to Denver in Week 9 as Thomas gets a chance to go up against the team that drafted him 22nd overall out of Georgia Tech in the 2010 NFL Draft.