Thomas Demaryius Texans off Broncos

ENGLEWOOD, Colorado (AP) – Demaryius Thomas' trade between the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans was not really a goodbye, but a goodbye later.

Like Sunday, when Texans (5-3) visit the Broncos (3-5).

"I thought about it, yes," said General Manager John Elway on Tuesday. "But, finally, we had to look beyond that and (we) thought it would not affect our game."

Elway sent his wide receiver wide to the Texans for a fourth round pick in 2019. The clubs also traded their seventh rounds in next year's draft.

Thomas, a ninth-year veteran who was first or second on most Denver receptions, had 36 catches for 402 yards this season.

Despite a career average of 11.2 yards per shot, Thomas's three touchdowns were tied with Emmanuel Sanders for the lead and earned him 66 points for his career, including the playoffs.

"We were not inclined to trade Demaryius," said Elway, explaining that he was confident of moving the pack by the bunch of picks and the rookie rookies Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton with that of the pro sophomore Tim Patrick, who caught his first TD career pass last week.

"It's never easy to barter a guy who is well known here for a long time and who has done a lot of good things, not only on the football field, but also in the community, and who is a good man." Elway said.

& # 39; & # 39; Plus, it's a good place for Demaryius. He goes to a good football team participating in a pennant race. So, it will be good for him too. & # 39; & # 39;

According to Elway, South African AFC Texans, who beat "three or four other teams", proved very weak against a wide receiver when they lost Will Fuller for the season because of a knee tear last week. and struggled to keep rookie Keke Coutee (hamstring) out in the field.

During a conference call with Denver media on Tuesday, Texans coach Bill O 'Brien said he'd been following Thomas since the 6-foot-3 and 230 receiver Books was at Georgia Tech before the Broncos selected it for the first round in 2010.

"He has excellent athletic skills, good hands and a very sweet run," said O. Brien. & # 39; & # 39; It's a hard one to defend. & # 39; & # 39;

And now it is the Broncos who will have to defend it.

Thomas has a salary cap of $ 15.53 million for 2019, his last year, and with the appearance of Sutton as a major threat, Elway felt it was time to get some thing for Thomas, who probably would not come back next season. anyway.

Sutton is a younger and more raw version of Thomas, a thick catcher who is capable of 50-50 assists and will now go alongside Sanders.

"Let's hope this speeds up its maturity," Elway said of Sutton, a second-round SMU choice.

Elway said that this does not prove that the Broncos, losers of five out of six, give up the season.

& # 39; & # 39; When you lose a guy like Demaryius, we're going to lose a bit. But I think what we can invent is young people and young people and to give them experience as this year continues, "said Elway.

Elway said that it was difficult to call Thomas in his office to exchange it.

"It's an end to him and us, but as I told him, he'll always be a Bronco," Elway said. & # 39; & # 39; That ends his career here but not his career in the NFL. And know it, because finally, the Broncos will be reunited with Demaryius. & # 39; & # 39;

For that he can be inducted into the team's Ring of Fame.

Josh McDaniels' first draft pick, Thomas has amassed 66 touchdown passes in 135 games, including the playoffs. He served as captain and was a solid and consistent receiver for quarterbacks Tim Tebow, Kyle Orton, Peyton Manning, Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian and, this year, Case Keenum.

Thomas's 36-yard, 100-yard games are the most important in the Broncos' history, with 60 touchdowns in the regular season and 9,055 yards in second place behind Rod Smith.

Five-time Pro Bowler, Thomas's career is a long series of highlights.

He caught Manning's 509th and 510th touchdowns who broke Brett Favre's all-time record in 2014 and appeared in two Super Bowls with Manning, setting a Super Bowl record with 13 catches for 118 yards and a touchdown. Seattle.

Two years later, he won a Super Bowl 50 championship with his mother. She had just been released from a federal penitentiary after the then President, Barack Obama, commuted her drug sentence that had removed her from her son when she was in prison. he was a teenager.

The story continues