Well sometimes it pays to be good, and that just happened for wide receiver Michael Thomas. The Saints have locked up one of their franchise cornerstones to a massive 5 year 100 million dollar extension. I predicted earlier this week that this deal was going to happen, and was correct in assuming the pay day was going to be massive. Both sides are happy, and can now go forward in their pursuit of a Lombardi trophy.
The Deal: 5 years 100 million dollars with 61 million guaranteed
Breakdown, Analysis, and Grade:
I want to give a major shot out to Thomas in securing a well deserved bag and believing in his value from the start. Michael Thomas is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and his statistics boost this claim. Thomas has gone over the 1,000 receiving yard mark in all three years of his service in the NFL. He also has secured 23 touchdown catches along the way as well. He is only 26 years old, and is currently in the midst of his prime so those numbers should stay high if he stays healthy. For the Saints, they had no other option but to pay the man. They have no real backup plan or high caliber receivers on their roster to replace Michael Thomas. They also understand that the Drew Brees is 40 years old, and is getting closer to retirement with every passing year. Their best opportunity to win a title is in the next two to three years. They have been on the cusp of a championship in recent years, and feel this year could be their time to shine. This deal does have drawbacks however. They have sunk a ton of money into one player, and this will affect their ability to recruit free agents and maintain their current roster. There will have to be sacrifices made to their overall roster in the future, but that is the price you pay in order to lock up top tier wide receiver. It will be interesting to see if Thomas can stay healthy, and if he is able to maintain his elite level of play. Especially when Drew Brees elects to call it a career. Is Thomas that great of a receiver, or is Drew Brees making him look much better than he actually is? I truly feel that Michael Thomas is one of the best in the game, and is actually prolonging Brees’s effectiveness with his elite skill. The Saints will know shortly if this deal will be a good move or a catastrophic mistake that hurts their long term future. This deal affects the NFL as a whole, especially in terms of the market for future wide receiver contracts. Major wide receivers such as Tyreek Hill, Amari Cooper, A.J. Green, and Robby Anderson are all due for a big payday. Thomas in my opinion is a better all-around receiver then the guys mentioned, but he has now set the market on what receivers will command. Other teams who currently employ these receivers will now be forced to deal with their high asking price. These future free agents are going to be motivated to secure a similar deal as Thomas, and could put their respective teams in a tough spot. Overall, I believe the Michael Thomas has more than earned this deal. He has been more consistent than the other wide receivers mentioned, and has avoided being involved with off the field issues. He has earned the right to be the highest paid receiver, but this title is unlikely to last for long. As we have learned, contracts only get more lucrative as the market starts to shape up.
Grade: B+
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