When the New England Patriots released wide receiver Demaryius Thomas as part of their final roster cutdown on Saturday, they may have done so with the expectation of bringing the former Pro Bowler back.

There's a chance they might not be able to, however, because another team could also be planning to bring Thomas back.

According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the Denver Broncos are considering a reunion with the veteran pass catcher less than a year after trading him. Originally the team's first-round pick back in the 2010 NFL Draft, Thomas went from Denver to the Houston Texans last October as part of a swap of draft picks that saved the Broncos salary cap space. But entering 2019, John Elway's club could benefit from veteran depth behind Emmanuel Sanders and Courtland Sutton -- and offer the familiarity of a city in which Thomas spent the first eight years of his career.

A Broncos reunion would, of course, require Thomas to choose Denver over New England, assuming the Pats also want him back at a reduced price. And as ESPN reported, the 31-year-old pass catcher has expressed interest in staying with the Patriots. He's also fresh off a big preseason performance with the team, as well as a full offseason studying New England's system.

A five-time Pro Bowler who won Super Bowl 50 with the Broncos in 2015, Thomas was one of the NFL's most consistent starting receivers not long ago. A five-time 1,000-yard pass catcher who's three times eclipsed 1,400 yards and owns more than a dozen franchise records, he saw his numbers decline amid a revolving door at Denver's quarterback spot in 2017-2018, then managed just 275 yards in seven games with the Texans following his trade. Thomas suffered a torn Achilles in December 2018, spending most of this past offseason on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list before starring in the preseason.