It’s been an incredibly frustrating year for Michael Thomas.
After recovering from a high-ankle sprain that kept him out after Week 1, Thomas suffered a hamstring injury that is keeping out of action this week. And to further complicate matters, Thomas missed a recent game for throwing hands at a teammate. In short, it’s not at all what Thomas (or anyone who picked him high in their fantasy drafts … sorry, Michael) had in mind for this season.
As is often the case when things don’t go swimmingly with high-profile players, trade rumors pop up. And over at Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio writes about the Saints’ potential willingness to trade Thomas and possible mutual feelings from Thomas. But Saints Head Coach Sean Payton put an end to that chatter with one tweet:
Sean Payton’s reply to Mike Thomas speculation pic.twitter.com/kZ5i2buxOf
— Nick Underhill (@nick_underhill) October 24, 2020
The NFL has few untouchables, but a Thomas trade would be unthinkable at this point of the season. New Orleans is trying to make the most of what might be Drew Brees’ swan song. To that end, the Saints could use every piece of offensive firepower it can get. And, yes, that would include a healthy Thomas once his injury issues heal. Let’s face it, all-pro-receivers who averaged 119 catches, 1,400 yards, and 8 touchdowns in their first four years in the pros don’t grow on trees. With that being said, it’s difficult to imagine Thomas getting traded.
And that’s before considering the financial implications. For instance, trading Thomas would leave the Saints taking the hit on a $20 million cap charge in 2021. Considering New Orleans’ future cap issues – which we briefly touched upon here – dealing Thomas simply doesn’t seem wise. But it’s possible that cap issues could spur more NFL trade deadline activity than we’re used to seeing. So stay tuned.