Most likely scenario is that after Brown was signed, Thomas requested a trade to somewhere he could play and Belichick did him a solid turn just like he had done for the Patriors after cut downs, even if that meant trading him to the vile Jets.
I've always liked Demaryius Thomas (his early years were stunted by Tebow and then he didn't get enough credit for making Peyton look good) and I'm glad he's getting the opportunity to play out the downside of his prime rather than ride the bench on the Patriots for insurance against Gordon or Brown blowing up only to be cut midseason when Harry is ready. He's already got a ring, and he still has an outside shot at a Hall of Fame bid if he puts up a couple more big seasons (though he's probably closer to that Cliff Branch, Sterling Sharpe, Henry Ellard, Herman Moore, and Wes Welker tier of almost but not quite, though I'd take some of those guys over Cris Carter so who knows).
That wasn't going to happen with the Patriots. It sucks it's with the Jets.
