Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas. (Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
The relationship between the New Orleans Saints and Michael Thomas is fraught, but they can’t afford to trade the Pro Bowl wide receiver.
The drama between Michael Thomas and the New Orleans Saints ramped up on Monday with the wide receiver tweeting a cryptic message about a damaged reputation.
“They tried to damage your reputation,” Thomas posted. “You saved theirs by not telling your side of the story.”
Whatever is happening to reputations, it’s clear the relationship between the Saints and their wide receiver is damaged.
Does that mean New Orleans will ship Thomas out via a trade? Don’t expect that to happen.
Trading Michael Thomas likely isn’t in the cards for the Saints
Bill Barnwell pointed out the biggest reason the Saints aren’t going to trade Thomas: They would have to eat a whole lot of cap space to do it.
“The Saints would have to eat $32.6 million in dead money — $8.9 million this year and $22.7 million next year — to trade Michael Thomas,” Barnwell tweeted.
New Orleans has restructured Thomas’ contract multiple times to free up cap space. Kicking the can down the line has effectively tied their hands when it comes to a trade.
Thomas is currently on the Physically Unable to Perform list after undergoing ankle surgery in June. He has missed the first days of training camp and will need four months of recovery, according to the NY Post.
According to a report from Jeff Duncan of the Times-Picayune, the receiver didn’t answer calls from the team for several months this offseason. His surgery was put off and the team is not happy about it.
Thomas is coming off the worst season of his career with 40 receptions and 438 yards in seven games of action. He had no touchdowns and missed significant time due to injury.