Why the Saints needed to break the financial institution for Michael Thomas
METAIRIE, La. — It might have been good for the New Orleans Saints if they may have put their foot down with Michael Thomas and declared that no broad receiver is value $20 million per 12 months.
In any case, there was a time not too way back when skill-position gamers felt considerably expendable in New Orleans.
High-Paid Receivers By Common Annual Worth
PlayerAvg. Annual ValueMichael Thomas$20.0M*Odell Beckham Jr.$18.0MAntonio Brown$16.7MMike Evans$16.5MAdam Thielen$16.2MDeAndre Hopkins$16.2MBrandin Cooks$16.2M* Based on Adam Schefter
The Saints traded tight finish Jimmy Graham in 2015, only one 12 months after he signed a contract extension value $10 million per 12 months. They dealt receiver Brandin Cooks in 2017, earlier than his rookie contract was up.
In each circumstances, the Saints felt their offense might hold working easily with coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees behind the wheel — and that their assets could be higher spent elsewhere.
However instances have modified.
The Saints made Thomas the richest receiver in NFL historical past on Wednesday as a result of they needed to. They ended a painless six-day coaching camp holdout by agreeing to a five-year extension value $100 million with $61 million assured.
So what’s so completely different about “Cannot Guard Mike”?
Properly, you title it.
Michael Thomas will now be the highest-paid broad receiver within the NFL primarily based on common annual money worth ($20 million per 12 months). Sean Gardner/Getty Pictures
Not solely is Thomas a particular participant who obliterated the NFL file with 321 catches in his first three seasons, however New Orleans’ cabinet could be frighteningly naked with out him.
Final 12 months, Thomas set franchise data with 125 catches and 1,405 receiving yards whereas incomes first-team All-Professional honors. No different Saints receiver or tight finish had greater than 35 catches.
And the bodily, 6-foot-Three, 212-pounder is very invaluable for Brees, 40, at this stage of his profession, since Thomas works so properly in site visitors on shorter and intermediate routes. Regardless of repeatedly being double-teamed, he caught a shocking 84.5 % of his targets final season — probably the most of any NFL receiver since at the very least 2001, in keeping with ESPN Stats & Info.
The Saints addressed their lack of dependable pass-catchers this offseason by signing veteran tight finish Jared Cook dinner in free company. Getting veteran receiver Ted Ginn Jr. again wholesome for a full season ought to assist, too.
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However there isn’t a manner round the truth that Thomas is completely very important to a crew that’s constructed to win a Tremendous Bowl proper now.
That is a type of offers the place the Saints actually could not afford to not pay him.
Each side deserve credit score for getting this deal carried out shortly earlier than Thomas’ holdout turned any kind of concern. This deal made an excessive amount of sense for either side to waste time posturing — and people good, spherical numbers of $100 million and $20 million per 12 months appeared nearly inevitable.
It is laborious to name this a “win-win” for either side, because the Saints definitely did not get a reduction on the previous second-round steal out of Ohio State.
And it is a laborious price ticket for the Saints to soak up, since additionally they simply signed All-Professional defensive finish Cameron Jordan to a profitable contract extension this summer season and have dearer offers on the horizon (Brees, working again Alvin Kamara, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and offensive tackles Terron Armstead and Ryan Ramczyk, amongst others within the subsequent couple years).
But when any receiver is value $20 million to his crew, it is Thomas.
He constantly delivered in large moments final season, catching 21 of 22 passes (95.5%) in one-score video games within the fourth quarter or extra time. That was the best such catch fee for any participant with at the very least 10 targets final season.
And his profession postseason numbers are even gaudier than his regular-season numbers: 31 catches for 423 yards and three TDs in 4 video games.
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The Saints respect Thomas’ work ethic as a lot as his manufacturing. Brees in contrast him to Darren Sproles as a type of uncommon gamers who treats each follow rep prefer it’s the Tremendous Bowl. Payton instructed NFL.com final season that he felt like he acquired hit by a automotive when he made the error of standing in because the defensive again throughout from Thomas throughout a walk-through session.
“However these guys are enjoyable to be round as a result of as soon as they flip the swap, man, it is time to roll,” Brees mentioned.
And if you’re within the camp that believes no receiver is value $20 million per 12 months, properly too unhealthy, as a result of that is about to be the going fee.
Ideally, the Saints would have saved Thomas’ contract phrases nearer to the deal that Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the New York Giants final 12 months, value between $18 million and $19 million. However fellow elite receivers like Julio Jones, Amari Cooper, A.J. Inexperienced and Tyreek Hill are all anticipated to signal new contract extensions quickly. And it is attainable the NFL’s wage cap will enhance with a brand new collective bargaining settlement in 2021. So the bar will simply hold getting larger.
The Saints had been by no means going to get a discount with this deal. However at the very least they’ve their must-have, go-to man again within the fold properly earlier than the beginning of the common season.
And now they’ve an opportunity to win large collectively in February.