Michael Thomas inks 5-year $100MM extension

[nycdan]

The inflation of WR salaries (especially as compared to RBs) is astounding to me.  

But he's incredibly talented and seems to be a high-character guy (which is rare among WRs).  Not bad for a 2nd round pick.

But on a supremely happy note, how long until OBJ and AB start holding out?  

[King P]

Michael Thomas deserves every penny he got

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

Wow Thomas' contract includes $61 million in guarantees, per Rapoport

Great player, will be interesting to see if he makes Brees or Brees makes him but the combo is great, would have prefered to see them vs pats* in the SB but we know the fix was in...

The highest paid WR in the NFL is from The Ohio State University  remember those posts that said the Buckeyes are undraftable LOL - Saints seem to do well with them...

[nico002]

Not worth it IMO. Thomas is a solid guy but not a game changing talent that you gameplan entirely against. Does Michael Thomas on the Bengals scare anyone?

 

[T0mShane]

2 minutes ago, nico002 said:

Not worth it IMO. Thomas is a solid guy but not a game changing talent that you gameplan entirely against. Does Michael Thomas on the Bengals scare anyone?

 

It’s like receivers with Phillip Rivers; whoever lines up on his right side is going to catch 90 passes. Thomas is good, but I’d be afraid of that contract the second Brees walks.

[rangerous]

3 minutes ago, nico002 said:

Not worth it IMO. Thomas is a solid guy but not a game changing talent that you gameplan entirely against. Does Michael Thomas on the Bengals scare anyone?

 

wait until the nfl gets like the nba.  talk about an organization with payroll inequity.

[Grandy]

Thomas is great, but I'm not sure if he's worth superstar money like that. 

Drew Brees will probably be gone within a couple of years and Thomas it a bit of an unknown without Brees. Like any #1 receiver to a legend QB, I don't think Thomas would be as good unless the Saints find another top guy to replace Brees with. 

[nycdan]

3 minutes ago, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

Wow Thomas' contract includes $61 million in guarantees, per Rapoport

Great player, will be interesting to see if he makes Brees or Brees makes him but the combo is great, would have prefered to see them vs pats* in the SB but we know the fix was in...

The highest paid WR in the NFL is from The Ohio State University  remember those posts that said the Buckeyes are undraftable LOL - Saints seem to do well with them...

Everyone 'knows' how great Brees is but I still think he's one of the most underrated passers in history.  This is not a compiler.  This is a guy who dominates at this position every single season.  Thomas is certainly talented, but Drew Brees seems to make one or two guys look incredible every season.  I think Thomas landed in the absolute perfect place for a WR and made the most of it.

And did you hear about the state of LA allowing a fan's lawsuit against the NFL for that blown call to proceed?  It could force Goodell and others to have to be deposed.  Nothing will come out of it, but it's certainly got entertainment value.

[nico002]

Only guys in the NFL worth top dollar 

- Julio 

- AJ green 

- Hopkins 

- OBJ

[chrisfaceoff]

3 minutes ago, Grandy said:

Thomas is great, but I'm not sure if he's worth superstar money like that. 

Drew Brees will probably be gone within a couple of years and Thomas it a bit of an unknown without Brees. Like any #1 receiver to a legend QB, I don't think Thomas would be as good unless the Saints find another top guy to replace Brees with. 

No matter what Brees is going to help Thomas, and Thomas is going to help Brees.

 

But The man deserves this contract.  Very talented and tough.  If he were to become a free agent, he'd instantly be the top target for teams.  Even when Brees hangs them up, he is going to be a tremendous help to whatever QB is there to fill that void whether a rookie, Teddy, or someone else.

[Jetsfan80]

You guys are nuts.  Would I take Thomas over DeAndre Hopkins?  No.  But he has elite hands, size and route running and would be successful anywhere.  His career catch rate is 77 %, and he reached 85 % last season.  That's insane. 

I know Julio Jones is a different type of WR, but his catch rate has never exceeded 67 % in a season.  Even slot receiver extraordinaire Julian Edelman has never reached 70 % despite running nearly all his routes less than 10 yards from the LOS. 

[Jetsfan80]

1 hour ago, nico002 said:

Only guys in the NFL worth top dollar 

- Julio 

- AJ green 

- Hopkins 

- OBJ

 

AJ Green is close to toast.  He's missed 13 games over the last 3 seasons, is set to probably miss a few more this season, and hasn't been elite since 2015. 

[nico002]

4 minutes ago, Jetsfan80 said:

 

AJ Green is close to toast.  He's missed 13 games over the last 3 seasons, is set to probably miss a few more this season, and hasn't been elite since 2015. 

Yes I agree just giving an example of the type of talent that I consider elite 

[Jetsfan80]

1 minute ago, nico002 said:

Yes I agree just giving an example of the type of talent that I consider elite  

For sure.  At one time, yes, AJ was elite amongst the elite at the position.  He's made Andy Dalton look competent for years.  That's impressive in itself. 

[greenwichjetfan]

2 hours ago, nico002 said:

Only guys in the NFL worth top dollar 

- Julio 

- AJ green 

- Hopkins 

- OBJ

Agree they all are elite from a true talent perspective, but given that huge WR contracts are extremely detrimental to team success (historically), Nuk is the only one I'd pay big money to be on my team. The rest of them, bye.

[jetstream23]

1 hour ago, Jetsfan80 said:

 

AJ Green is close to toast.  He's missed 13 games over the last 3 seasons, is set to probably miss a few more this season, and hasn't been elite since 2015. 

Hasn't been elite since he got an over-the-hill Revis in 1-on-1 situations.

[jetstream23]

2 hours ago, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

The highest paid WR in the NFL is from The Ohio State University  remember those posts that said the Buckeyes are undraftable LOL - Saints seem to do well with them...

 

They SHOULD have been undraftable.  What a waste of a 2nd round WR pick!

 

[BurnleyJet]

Thomas is a fantastic receiver and worth every penny. He catches everything. 

 

[LAD_Brooklyn]

If you have a top QB, wouldn't he be able to survive with average WRs? Allowing you to allocate the teams cash/cap spending elsewhere? 

[Philc1]

It’s a WR league as much as it’s a qb league

[Philc1]

4 minutes ago, LAD_Brooklyn said:

If you have a top QB, wouldn't he be able to survive with average WRs? Allowing you to allocate the teams cash/cap spending elsewhere? 

Brees will probably retire in a couple years.  The best way to setup a successor for success is giving him a great WR

 

See Montana and Young both having Jerry Rice

[Jetster]

21 hours ago, Grandy said:

Thomas is great, but I'm not sure if he's worth superstar money like that. 

Drew Brees will probably be gone within a couple of years and Thomas it a bit of an unknown without Brees. Like any #1 receiver to a legend QB, I don't think Thomas would be as good unless the Saints find another top guy to replace Brees with. 

I completely agree with you. I think Thomas is the best WR in the league along with Deandre Hopkins but I'll be the 1st to say you don't win multiple Super Bowls paying one WR a 100 million dollar contract. I would not want Douglas giving any WR 100 million, you win with 53, the Patriots & Belichick have proven that. 

[Jetster]

10 hours ago, LAD_Brooklyn said:

If you have a top QB, wouldn't he be able to survive with average WRs? Allowing you to allocate the teams cash/cap spending elsewhere? 

Exactly. When you spend 55 million per on a QB & WR, the Saints better win the Super Bowl next year or they will never get close to another one without a complete team.

[Beerfish]

Good thing we picked tiny linebacker in that draft at #20

[Ohio State NY Jets fan]

 

21 hours ago, jetstream23 said:

They SHOULD have been undraftable.  What a waste of a 2nd round WR pick!

Yes it was after his "teammate" broke his ribs and punctured a lung in his 3rd day of practice with the Jets - Thomas (also a 2nd round pick) was the 4th player selected after hack - NO takes better care of their rookies

[Sperm Edwards]

12 hours ago, LAD_Brooklyn said:

If you have a top QB, wouldn't he be able to survive with average WRs? Allowing you to allocate the teams cash/cap spending elsewhere? 

Yes they could “survive” with just average WRs, but they are a better team with one who never drops the ball. With Thomas instead of a merely “average” starter in his place, Brees is completing 3 out of every 4 pass attempts. You don’t mess with a winning combination the world has never seen before. He has a higher completion percentage throwing downfield to Thomas than he does dumping it off to Kamara. This doesn’t just happen. Not ever.

Also where else are they going to spend $ - a place where they’re not spending now but should - that would have a bigger impact on winning games than keeping what appears to be the most reliable QB-WR combo in memory (if not in history, by the numbers). How many possessions have been saved because Brees goes to Thomas on 3rd down (or a long 2nd down that converts to a 1st or 3rd & short) instead of an average WR in his place with a 55% catch rate instead of 85%? How many wins has that translated into instead of using the leftover $ upgrading one guard or at TE to pair with your “average” WR starter?

His pricetag is $20MM/year, which is huge, but it’s more relevant to look at how much more he costs than this “average” WR you speak of, than his cost over a nonexistent dirt-cheap rookie. Quincy Enunwa just got $9MM/year and it’d be considered a huge success just for him to make it through a single season for the first time in 3 years (which would still be only the second time in his career), or catch 60% of his passes even once in a season, despite running generally shorter WR patterns.

It’s not that Brees should allow them to not pay Thomas $20MM per. It’s that Thomas at $20MM relieves them of having to pay a trio of forgettable talent WRs/TEs at $10MM or so apiece, and can use their high draft picks on other positions instead of relying upon their next Robert Meachum 1st rounder to be a replacement. If you find an adequate replacement for so cheap for 3 more years, THEN you can think of letting Thomas go, not the other way around where you let him go and then go on your replacement WR search. 

The Saints are superbowl contenders right now, not a rebuilding/retooling team, and maybe could/should have won the superbowl last year. Further, they’re in short, year-to-year time window with Brees. Any GM who’d toss this QB-WR combo aside in such a window, to save $10MM/year he’ll soon blow on a meh player who just reached FA (and whom they’ll seek to upgrade from on days 1 or 2 of the following year’s draft), should be fired. 

[nycdan]

23 hours ago, nycdan said:

Everyone 'knows' how great Brees is but I still think he's one of the most underrated passers in history.  This is not a compiler.  This is a guy who dominates at this position every single season.  Thomas is certainly talented, but Drew Brees seems to make one or two guys look incredible every season.  I think Thomas landed in the absolute perfect place for a WR and made the most of it.

And did you hear about the state of LA allowing a fan's lawsuit against the NFL for that blown call to proceed?  It could force Goodell and others to have to be deposed.  Nothing will come out of it, but it's certainly got entertainment value.

Well damn...nfl.com just ranked Brees as their highest QB in the top-100 list at #2 overall.  

[Sperm Edwards]

By merely replicating Thomas’s worst yardage year in 2019, Robby Anderson will cost >$15MM/year to keep (or our 1st/2nd round pick next year to hope to adequately replace).

Let that sink in before scoffing at $20MM/year for a healthy, consensus 1st team AP who just turned 25.

This isn’t 2008’s salary cap ceiling.

[k-met57]

everyone who say he "isnt worth it" is missing the point. he is worth it to them....otherwise they can close up shop and start the rebuild tomorrow. how many people can name the saints receivers beyond him ,Ginn and Trequan Smith who are both JAGs

[k-met57]

24 minutes ago, Sperm Edwards said:

By merely replicating Thomas’s worst yardage year in 2019, Robby Anderson will cost >$15MM/year to keep (or our 1st/2nd round pick next year to hope to adequately replace).

Let that sink in before scoffing at $20MM/year for a healthy, consensus 1st team AP who just turned 25.

This isn’t 2008’s salary cap ceiling.

no. there is more to receiver then yardage. Thomas make the offense go along with Drew....Robby does not push the offense forward....he is a beneficiary. 

[peebag]

On 7/31/2019 at 8:14 AM, Ohio State NY Jets fan said:

Wow Thomas' contract includes $61 million in guarantees, per Rapoport

Great player, will be interesting to see if he makes Brees or Brees makes him but the combo is great, would have prefered to see them vs pats* in the SB but we know the fix was in...

The highest paid WR in the NFL is from The Ohio State University  remember those posts that said the Buckeyes are undraftable LOL - Saints seem to do well with them...

Helps to have a decent qb, huh?

[Jetster]

2 hours ago, Sperm Edwards said:

Yes they could “survive” with just average WRs, but they are a better team with one who never drops the ball. With Thomas instead of a merely “average” starter in his place, Brees is completing 3 out of every 4 pass attempts. You don’t mess with a winning combination the world has never seen before. He has a higher completion percentage throwing downfield to Thomas than he does dumping it off to Kamara. This doesn’t just happen. Not ever.

Also where else are they going to spend $ - a place where they’re not spending now but should - that would have a bigger impact on winning games than keeping what appears to be the most reliable QB-WR combo in memory (if not in history, by the numbers). How many possessions have been saved because Brees goes to Thomas on 3rd down (or a long 2nd down that converts to a 1st or 3rd & short) instead of an average WR in his place with a 55% catch rate instead of 85%? How many wins has that translated into instead of using the leftover $ upgrading one guard or at TE to pair with your “average” WR starter?

His pricetag is $20MM/year, which is huge, but it’s more relevant to look at how much more he costs than this “average” WR you speak of, than his cost over a nonexistent dirt-cheap rookie. Quincy Enunwa just got $9MM/year and it’d be considered a huge success just for him to make it through a single season for the first time in 3 years (which would still be only the second time in his career), or catch 60% of his passes even once in a season, despite running generally shorter WR patterns.

It’s not that Brees should allow them to not pay Thomas $20MM per. It’s that Thomas at $20MM relieves them of having to pay a trio of forgettable talent WRs/TEs at $10MM or so apiece, and can use their high draft picks on other positions instead of relying upon their next Robert Meachum 1st rounder to be a replacement. If you find an adequate replacement for so cheap for 3 more years, THEN you can think of letting Thomas go, not the other way around where you let him go and then go on your replacement WR search. 

The Saints are superbowl contenders right now, not a rebuilding/retooling team, and maybe could/should have won the superbowl last year. Further, they’re in short, year-to-year time window with Brees. Any GM who’d toss this QB-WR combo aside in such a window, to save $10MM/year he’ll soon blow on a meh player who just reached FA (and whom they’ll seek to upgrade from on days 1 or 2 of the following year’s draft), should be fired. 

Good post. I get it & your right, Saints are contenders RIGHT NOW but that window is MUCH SMALLER now. I'm hoping the Jets can be a contender here for years, unlike the Saints with a top 5 QB with a record that keeps flip flopping from Good to Bad to Good. This GMing sh*t is not easy. 

[HelenOfTroy]

On 7/31/2019 at 8:24 AM, nycdan said:

Everyone 'knows' how great Brees is but I still think he's one of the most underrated passers in history.  This is not a compiler.  This is a guy who dominates at this position every single season.  Thomas is certainly talented, but Drew Brees seems to make one or two guys look incredible every season.  I think Thomas landed in the absolute perfect place for a WR and made the most of it.

And did you hear about the state of LA allowing a fan's lawsuit against the NFL for that blown call to proceed?  It could force Goodell and others to have to be deposed.  Nothing will come out of it, but it's certainly got entertainment value.

Brees is also a class act, everything a QB should be, on and off the field.  My type of QB.  

Take note Sammy, this is who you hope to be.   

[Sperm Edwards]

2 hours ago, k-met57 said:

no. there is more to receiver then yardage. Thomas make the offense go along with Drew....Robby does not push the offense forward....he is a beneficiary. 

You can bet as much as you make in a year yourself that, if Robby Anderson has a 1200-yard, 7-8 TD season this year his next contract will be for a minimum $15MM/year. If the Jets don't pay it then someone else certainly will. He's not Michael Thomas, but he doesn't have to be Michael Thomas to get that much. If the Saints waited until a year later, when he was (or was about to become) a UFA, Thomas could get more than $20MM/year himself in 2020. This is the lower number resulting from the Saints being proactive, and getting a little discount in exchange for assuming his injury risk a year earlier, instead of just letting him play out his dirt-cheap 4th year and wait until Thomas has far more leverage (in addition to another year of inflation). 

It's a Jets fan's fantasy that Anderson could be locked up in the $9-12MM/year range after such a 2019 season, on a salary cap limit that'll be about $200MM by then. Never mind other stances that presume our own receivers' abilities exist in a vacuum, that doesn't take into account the below average QB play the Jets have fielded, for most of the past decade (never mind nowhere near Brees-like accuracy and field vision at any time in that span), and many talk as though he's the only WR who's dropped an easy pass or two. This doesn't even account for the Jets-level of offensive coaching - and recently, annual OC turnover - over these years as well. You're starting at the results and rationalizing single causes to things with multiple influences. 

I'm under no delusion that he's one of the game's best receivers, but even on TV - which offer limited views away from the ball - he's been open plenty of times when the ball was not thrown his way outright because of how far downfield he'd gotten, or was over/under thrown by a number of yards if it was thrown his way. His one 10-game stretch with McCown should have had another 100-200 yards minimum, plus a few more TDs, if he had the requisite arm strength. The very point of drafting a Darnold is the hope he has the ability, and/or can develop the downfield accuracy, to take advantage of such receivers that can take the top off a defense.

UFA WRs who sign in the $10MM range give or take are players who've never eclipsed 900 yards (Enunwa, Sterling Sheppard, Crowder, etc.). FFS Marquis Lee got ~$9MM/year after missing the entire season, and being a high target / low catch-rate general disappointment before that. Stefan Diggs was an 800-900 yd/year receiver who was still under team control for cheap (low leverage), when he got his $14-15MM/year contract over a year ago. Tyrell Williams just got $11.5MM/year on the heels of a pair of 650-730 yard seasons. 

Barring off-field concerns resurfacing, it's a safe bet that if a young, healthy Anderson has a 1200+ yard season right in the year before he earns UFA status, that he'll eclipse those deals. 

[Sperm Edwards]

1 hour ago, Jetster said:

Good post. I get it & your right, Saints are contenders RIGHT NOW but that window is MUCH SMALLER now. I'm hoping the Jets can be a contender here for years, unlike the Saints with a top 5 QB with a record that keeps flip flopping from Good to Bad to Good. This GMing sh*t is not easy. 

Yeah, and over the past years they've had other issues that typically stemmed from the defense. But just because of that doesn't mean they should be messing with the offense that has them 13-game winners with a more or less average defense.

The Brees-Thomas connection isn't the reason they lose 48-40 to the friggin' Bucs (incidentally he caught 16 of 17 that game, just looking it up now, and for all I know the 1 miss was thrown away). It certainly wasn't the cause of getting bounced from a Super Bowl appearance, and it's a tough argument to suggest they wouldn't have scored a good amount more than the 3 points the Rams' O put up.

I don't think the GMing is as tough as people make it out to be, even if the many complaints make it seem like it take no brains at all. I do think a lot of dumb/incompetent people are given opportunities they shouldn't have been given. This one in signing Thomas a season before he reached UFA status was a no-brainer (barring the ability to see into the future that he was going to suffer a career-altering injury in 2019). The failure to lock up a single, valued young player early in 5 offseasons was one of my biggest criticisms about our last GM.