Saintswrath

Agent: Thomas, Saints far apart
June 9, 2010







NEW ORLEANS (AP) -The New Orleans Saints have made one long-term contract offer to Pierre Thomas since the Super Bowl, and the value was not close to what the club's leading running back was seeking, Thomas' agent said.

"The Saints have refused to negotiate with us. They've given us one proposal," agent Lamont Smith said Wednesday. "Pierre made the NFL minimum (salary) the last three years and was their leading rusher the last two. He made all the plays necessary. ... He's done all the right things. He played his (first) contract out."

The Saints generally do not discuss ongoing negotiations, and when asked to respond to Smith's comments, general manager Mickey Loomis said only that Smith "is correct that we are far apart."

Thomas, who signed a three-year contract with the Saints as an undrafted rookie in 2007, is a restricted free agent. The Saints tendered him a one-year offer of about $1.7 million. Because the period when Thomas could sign more lucrative offers from other teams has passed, the Saints have Thomas' rights for 2010.

Thomas wants a longer extension worth far more than the lone multiyear offer New Orleans has made so far, which was the reason he skipped the Saints' mandatory minicamp last weekend and has remained absent for voluntary practices.

Agent: Thomas, Saints far apart - NFL - CBSSports.com Football