Proposed Trade Reunites Raiders’ $140 Million Star With Derek Carr on Saints

Rugby Saint II · 07-16-2023, 01:49 PM

Originally Posted by BakoSaint

I believe the worse Thomas does this year, or the more he is injured, the more likely he is back in 2024. In the unlikely event that he returns to 2019 form there would be a bidding war for his services like Armstead or Williams and we might lose that war. But if he plays a few games, appears to have lost a step, fights with teammates, and then gets injured and undergoes microfracture surgery on both knees, we are likely to resign him in order to avoid the dead money cap hit, just like we have done with Peat and Winston when they have been injured or underperformed in supposedly make or break years. We face an $18 million cap hit of dead money for Thomas in 2024 but if nobody else is competing for his services we can likely retain him and keep the immediate cap hit to $11-12 million while pushing some of the dead money forward to future years, Loomis style.

I do not want to give him contract and then move the money to the future. Putting more money in an older/ often injured player may not be the best use of our limited cap money. If he wants to bet on himself with an incentive laden contract then great! If not then let someone else bet on him! He's tied into an affordable contract this year and I want to see him win the come back player of the year.

It may not be a popular opinion, but I don't think that the Saints would sign him back to another contract, no matter how well he plays. Of course, they would offer him another incentive laden contract and of course, he would probably turn it down to sign for top dollar elsewhere. I don't blame him. I would too.

Face it. He's coming off three years riddled with injury. He played well again last year before getting hurt and he's 30 now I believe. His best days are probably behind him and no one can call him reliable. I like him and I want him to have another pro bowl season, but I'm not guaranteeing him a lot of money again if I'm Mickey Loomis.

07-16-2023, 01:49 PM	#21
Rugby Saint II Bounty Money $$$ Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5800 Airline Dr. Metairie, LA. Posts: 24,133	Re: Proposed Trade Reunites Raiders’ $140 Million Star With Derek Carr on Saints Originally Posted by BakoSaint I believe the worse Thomas does this year, or the more he is injured, the more likely he is back in 2024. In the unlikely event that he returns to 2019 form there would be a bidding war for his services like Armstead or Williams and we might lose that war. But if he plays a few games, appears to have lost a step, fights with teammates, and then gets injured and undergoes microfracture surgery on both knees, we are likely to resign him in order to avoid the dead money cap hit, just like we have done with Peat and Winston when they have been injured or underperformed in supposedly make or break years. We face an $18 million cap hit of dead money for Thomas in 2024 but if nobody else is competing for his services we can likely retain him and keep the immediate cap hit to $11-12 million while pushing some of the dead money forward to future years, Loomis style. I do not want to give him contract and then move the money to the future. Putting more money in an older/ often injured player may not be the best use of our limited cap money. If he wants to bet on himself with an incentive laden contract then great! If not then let someone else bet on him! He's tied into an affordable contract this year and I want to see him win the come back player of the year. It may not be a popular opinion, but I don't think that the Saints would sign him back to another contract, no matter how well he plays. Of course, they would offer him another incentive laden contract and of course, he would probably turn it down to sign for top dollar elsewhere. I don't blame him. I would too. Face it. He's coming off three years riddled with injury. He played well again last year before getting hurt and he's 30 now I believe. His best days are probably behind him and no one can call him reliable. I like him and I want him to have another pro bowl season, but I'm not guaranteeing him a lot of money again if I'm Mickey Loomis.
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