Michael Thomas holding out of Saints camp for new deal (turned down saints offer, wants to be highest paid in league)

[frash.exe]

6 minutes ago, hepcat said:

Saints probably pushing back saying the offensive system made him into what he is, and they wouldn't be too far off base considering he's putting up similar numbers that Marques Colston did. They can probably go and find another stud WR if they don't already have one on the roster as it is. 

there are teams out there that are going to be willing to pay what he is asking. but it may not be the saints considering that yeah, drew brees is probably going to be putting those numbers up with or without thomas. 

[saints4lifeagain]

55 minutes ago, uncfan888 said:

So you think if Brees retires after this year, you guys will be fine? I'm expecting a significant step back when you lose a HOFer

Not what I was saying. Talking cap wise. 

44 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

No one is in a good position losing their franchise QB. Montana/Young and Favre/Rodgers situations don't happen very often. I don't think y'all have a Young or Rodgers grooming on the bench and as much as I'd enjoy watching it, I don't see y'all sucking so hard you end up with the #1 overall pick next year to create your own Manning/Luck situation.

Didn’t mean it in that way. Was just talking crap wise. 

 

However with the oline and Thomas and Kamara and the way the defense is set up going forward, I don’t expect a fall to top 10 pick. 

[Davidson Deac II]

Thomas is an excellent receiver.  But it does help when you have one of the league's best ever throwing the ball to you.  Could be that Thomas wants to ensure he gets paid before Brees leaves, and his numbers take a hit.  

[uncfan888]

17 minutes ago, saints4lifeagain said:

Not what I was saying. Talking cap wise. 

Didn’t mean it in that way. Was just talking crap wise. 

 

However with the oline and Thomas and Kamara and the way the defense is set up going forward, I don’t expect a fall to top 10 pick. 

Ahh. You guys are always fine cap wise. 

Hope you had a good summer, bruh

[Shocker]

 

[saints4lifeagain]

4 minutes ago, uncfan888 said:

Ahh. You guys are always fine cap wise. 

Hope you had a good summer, bruh

Been good man. Hotter than hell here. How about you?

[Greatman77]

Devil's (Saints?) advocate thought: Is there any reason he should make LESS than OBJ?

[Iron Saint]

3 hours ago, jumpman910 said:

Surprised he's holding out this summer and not next tho. Probably wants to get paid before a potential Bress decline from age/lockout in a few summers. 

Because if he waited until next year, the team would just slap the franchise tag on him. The franchise tag for a WR this year is $16.787M. Last year it was $15.982M for 2018, only an $805K increase and 2018's WR tag was only a $300K increase from what it was for the 2017 season ($15.682M). So we can reasonably estimate the 2020 WR tag will be in the neighborhood of ~$17.5M or so after all the WR deals the past few months and assuming if Julio gets a new extension this season.

So if they couldn't negotiate a new deal before the deadline, he'd either have to sign the tag and play 2020 for less than what he's asking (and even less than what he currently has on the table from the Saints now) or sit out 2020 and get paid in early-2021.

2 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

He's never had a 100 yard game against us.

Were you in a coma for our playoff game in January 2018?

27 minutes ago, hepcat said:

Saints probably pushing back saying the offensive system made him into what he is, and they wouldn't be too far off base considering he's putting up similar numbers that Marques Colston did. They can probably go and find another stud WR if they don't already have one on the roster as it is.

Eh. Colston's best season, he put up a 98/1202/11 stat line in 2007. Thomas' best season last year was 125/1405/9.

Over their first 3 years, Colston was 215/3000/24 to Thomas' 321/3787/23.

Colston does narrowly have him on TD's in that span but it's worth noting that outside 2006 where we had a functional rushing attack, we couldn't run the ball for dick in 2007 or 2008. Between 2006-2008, our offense was 19th, 28th, and 28th in rushing which led to more targets for Colston in the redzone. The opposite has been true during Thomas' tenure; between 2016-2018 our rushing offense was 16th, 5th, and 7th, leading to less opportunities for him, although he does still get his opportunities.

I do love Colston though, he was the first jersey I ever bought. However, if Thomas keeps on the pace he's on (and we have an adequate contingency plan post-Brees), he's likely going to shatter all Colston's Saints receiving records.

[Basbear]

Here's a hot spicy rumor, Thomas to KC for Hill. 

[Iron Saint]

3 minutes ago, Basbear said:

Here's a hot spicy rumor, Thomas to KC for Hill. 

LMAO, the Chiefs aren't trading for Thomas when they are already on the hook for $19.2M this year with Watkins' deal.

Plus we already had a speedy problem child in the locker room in 2016, we shipped his ass off to New England for a 1st rounder.

[uncfan888]

25 minutes ago, saints4lifeagain said:

Been good man. Hotter than hell here. How about you?

Same but it finally cooled off some in Charlotte the past few days

[Basbear]

2 minutes ago, Iron Saint said:

LMAO, the Chiefs aren't trading for Thomas when they are already on the hook for $19.2M this year with Watkins' deal.

Plus we already had a speedy problem child in the locker room in 2016, we shipped his ass off to New England for a 1st rounder.

Both want new deals, Payton and Drew went on record in saying Hill was the best player in in the league. 

[ncfan]

Its a win win for us anyways.

Thomas wnts to be the highest paid WR.  At the same time there is another one in our division as well that wants that and has threatened to hold out in past.

 

Falcons and Saints have to be nervous.  Both WRs (Julio and Thomas) want new deals and to be paid the most this offseason.

Atlanta is handcuffed as well with Ryan, Freeman, and now Grady Jarretts deals.  If Thomas goes for 20+.  It will push Julio out of Atlanta's price range. 

If Atlanta gives Julio that 20 mil.  Thomas is going to want North of that.  Even if Thomas holds out for 21 then.  That could be devastating to New Orleans.  Look the Saints GM has been the best in the league at handling cap thw last few season.  But there is only so much you can stretch and maneuver before it snaps.  They have 12 mil of cap space.  They will have to clear, min of 9 mil just to fit him.  PLUS, teams RARELY go under 1.5-2 mil of cap space entering the season incase of buffer due to injuries etc and you have to bring in a vet.   So your looking at them having to clear 11 mil at that point just to fit Thomas.  And again back to, you can only stretch so far until it snaps.  And if Julio sets the price point before they can with Thomas, it may snap.  (Or if they get it done first, Atlanta becomes the mess)

 

 

[panthers55]

Remember this is for 2020 not 2019. New Orleans does have 20 million in dead cap space for 2020 already on the books based on Brees current contract structure but the way they back load everything Thomas' contract extension won't cost them that much in 2020 or the first year of a new contract. This will come to roost in 2021 not now. By then Brees and Payton and Loomis hope to have a Superbowl so they can all ride off in the sunset and leave someone else to clean up their mess.