The New Orleans Saints’ salary cap situation was not a pretty one. They entered the offseason as one of the teams that were the most over the salary cap. Enough cap space was created to sign veteran quarterback Derek Carr, but addressing the other needs on the roster was going to be challenging without much money to spend.
New Orleans has already seen some veterans depart in free agency as a result of their salary cap situation. Defensive linemen Marcus Davenport, Shy Tuttle and David Onyemata all departed, signing with the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons, respectively.
However, some good news when it comes to player personnel has arrived for the Saints. After weeks of speculation about having to move on from veteran wide receiver Michael Thomas, the team was able to agree to a restructured deal to bring him back into the fold.
According to Adam Schefter, Thomas and the Saints agreed to a one-year, $10 million deal. The contract has a max value of $15 million, a fair deal for both sides given the current circumstances.
Thomas was arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL from 2016-2019. His receptions and yardage increased every season, culminating in a record-setting 149-catch season in which he gained 1,725 yards and scored nine touchdowns.
Thomas won the Offensive Player of the Year award that season and the future looked bright. Unfortunately for him and the team, the next three seasons have been marred by injuries. He has caught only 56 passes for 609 yards and three touchdowns, playing in only 10 games and missing the entire 2021 season.
In limited action in 2022, Thomas did show that he can still get the job done. He scored three touchdowns in three games and was one of the higher-rated players at his position. If he can remain on the field, Carr will have one of the better wide receiver duos to target in Thomas and the emerging Chris Olave.
