Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

I saw him going crazy for Alontae Taylor when he was standing over Adams last week.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

Cool. Sorry I missed that. I don’t get a good feed of the games. He may be there and I’m missing it.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

A few writers tweeted the image. I don't doubt his belief in his teammates or desire to win.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

Again I don't think that it is possible. With the current contract MT13 counts $28 million against the cap next year. If the Saints want to keep him and they want to free up the money, the only option is a straight pay cut. No player is going to accept that especially with MT13's talent when healthy. There are a number other teams that will roll the dice and pay him a huge new contract with a healthy signing bonus to acquire such talent.

Edit: I think a lot of fans make the mistake of thinking that a restructure or extension or a pay cut is a one sided team option that the player has no input on. As many folks like to tout, the contract is the contract. The player and his representation have to agree to any changes. Typically it happens because both side benefit. The team frees up cap space. The player get guaranteed money in exchange. Take that option away, and the player has no incentive to change anything. That puts the team in a serious cap problem. The only way out of the contract for the team that unilateral is to cut the player. But then the team is still on the hook for any dead bonus money that's paid earlier in the contract.

If MT13 plays for the Saints next year, it's under a restructure or an extension. If you don't want that, the only other option is to cut/trade him.

There's no having cake (having the player play for you) and eating it too (not having an extension/restructure). It's simply not an option.

SFIAH

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

What did you think SFIAH about my point on them needing to get below the salary cap by the March deadline. Doesn’t seem that they can wait on a post June date to cut/trade him.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

I disagree. There is a great precedent for MT’s value on the open market. Victor Cruz was an elite wide receiver with the Giants. Then he had a 3 year period where he was largely injured and flashed potential but could not put it all together. The Giants cut him and the Bears signed him in 2017. He got a 1 year $2 million deal with $500k signing bonus, did not make the team in training camp, and retired. He was a similar age to Michael Thomas now with elite talent when healthy. There are some differences in the situation and you can argue Thomas might have a little more upside than Cruz did then but overall the precedents for a player missing 40 of 50 games over 3 years and then returning to prove worth a big contract are extremely extremely rare and the precedents for a downward spiral are extremely extremely common. If Michael Thomas gets a big contract this offseason I hope and pray its with a division rival because it would be a horrible gamble.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/chicago-...tor-cruz-8203/

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

He already HAS a big contract Bako. The question is how to best deal with it. Fortunately we’ve got smarter people than us, like Loomis, to figure it out.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

I don’t believe Loomis is smarter than any of us. Most of us would not have given up CGJ for a 5th, given Peat top 5 guard money, traded next years 1st when we didnt have a sure thing at QB, etc.

My point is that Michael Thomas would not be worth anything close to the remaining unguaranteed money on his contract on the open market. The odds of a big comeback with how long he has been out are less than 10%. The Victor Cruz Bears scenario is more likely. So if we cut him he would not get a big deal. If he somehow did, 90% chance its a disaster. If we made a firm ultimatum on cutting his salary or cutting him, a smart agent would have to compare it with his value on the open market which i would guess is something like 1 year $ 8 million with $2 million guaranteed.

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

There's a post June 1 designation that can be made early in the league year IIRC. Here is an article on the subject:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/a...eir-salary-cap

Once that designation is done, the player is treated as if they would be released June 1 even though it's March. In terms of salary cap, the cap designation I believe carries as if the player was released June 1. For MT13 that means that the $15.5 salary would come off the books immediately and the Saints would be responsible for the $11 million remaining with the 2 year split of the dead money.

If that's not the case, then the Saints would have to restructure/extend everyone else to carry the full $28 million cap hit for MT13 until June 2nd. It would suck for free agency next offseason if that's the case.

It's a tough spot all the way around. But it's only way to get out from under the back end of this contract without an extension or restructure. Contracts are designed this way. If the player is productive, the team restructures/extends. If not, then they have to cut the player and eat the dead money. There really are no other options. MT13's contract was always designed as a 3 year @ $20 million contract. The extra years were in to stretch out the cap hit from the bonuses paid. There was no intention to pay MT13 $15.5 in salary in 2023. Every long term Saints contract is structured this way.

The Saints are just going to have to eat it. It was a bad roll of the dice.

SFIAH

Re: Michael Thomas to IR
 

And this is the most interesting question in the entire scenario. What number would that $15.5 million need to be cut down to to keep the player and will the player accept that number?

SFIAH