There are a list of questions surrounding the future of Michael Thomas with the New Orleans Saints, but they appear to have been answered -- at least for now. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver has played in just one game this season, having been sidelined since the Week 1 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a myriad of reasons. Despite it all, rumors of a potential trade of Thomas don't appear to be well-founded, with the Saints reportedly unwilling to move on from their star wideout ahead of the Nov. 3 trade deadline -- per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
Speculation began weeks ago when Thomas was scratched from Week 5 because he punched a teammate in practice, the Saints then sitting him as discipline for the infraction. Before and since, he's continued to also battle a lower body injury, having now been ruled out of the Week 8 contest against the Chicago Bears with a hamstring injury. Previously, it was an ankle issue that cost him time, and he's still nursing that ailment as well.
Things haven't been going well lately between he and the Saints, but they're confident it can be repaired.
Trading Thomas would cripple the Saints passing attack, so ironing out the relationship makes sense. The acquisition of Emmanuel Sanders -- who will also miss Week 8 with injury -- has not panned out the way the Saints had hoped, and Tre'Quan Smith has less production than Sanders with an injury of his own to now deal with. Currently, the team's leading receiver is running back Alvin Kamara with 460 receiving yards and three touchdowns, which isn't by design.
Kamara is simply the most productive receiver on the team, absent Thomas, and that's eye-opening when considering he starts the majority of his snaps behind the line of scrimmage.
Thomas holds several franchise records in New Orleans, and routinely has his way with opposing defenses when healthy. The two-time All-Pro is having a disappointing 2020 season, yes, but his talent doesn't exactly grow on trees. Just last season, he racked up a career-high and record-setting 1,725 receiving yards with nine touchdowns, and he's blown past the 1,000-yard mark in all four of his NFL seasons en route to 5,512 receiving yards and 32 touchdowns through 2019. Thomas signed a five-year, $100 million extension with $61 million guaranteed in 2019, locking him in through 2024.
If the Saints were to trade him, he'd command a massive price, but it appears they'd rather keep him in Louisiana.
