Whether you agree with the move or not, the Saints made it a done deal yesterday that Michael Thomas would be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, at least until the next high-profile wideout gets a new contract (which could be just days or weeks away).
However, you can count two of WWL’s resident pros, Bobby Hebert and Deuce McAllister firmly on the “pro” side of the argument.
Hebert says Thomas has history already in his favor, in terms of the history he’s already made in the NFL.
“You might say, ‘Is Michael Thomas truly the #1 receiver in the National Football League?’” Hebert said. “It depends on what you look at. The one thing he did make NFL history: 321 receptions are the most of any player in the first three years of his career.”
Hebert went on to say that, in his mind, Thomas is finally getting some rightful recognition.
“People sometimes don’t want to give Michael Thomas credit that he’s right there with Odell Beckham in his athletic ability and his production,” Hebert said. “But Beckham was playing in New York versus here’s Michael Thomas in a small market here in New Orleans. So this is not overpaying. This is not underpaying. I think this is just right, according to Thomas’s performance and what he achieved, and what they expect him to do, for sure, the next three years.”
McAllister weighed in to say he doesn’t expect an increase in his bank account to affect the chip on his shoulder.
“I don’t think you have to worry about him being one of the guys who got paid and starts coasting,” McAllister said. “I think he still wants to go out there and prove and show that he’s still the elite receiver, and he’s gonna crush any record or any opponent in front of him.”
McAllister said Thomas only has one speed.
“The one thing that I love about him,” McAllister said, “and I know I’m biased because I haven’t been around the other guys to see how they work and operate, but he works. He works. You have to tell him to slow-down, this is a walk-through or this isn’t full speed. Everything he does, that’s what he wants to do.”
McAllister also pointed out that the Saints might have actually made the frugal decision to ink Thomas now as opposed to waiting until his rookie contract runs out next offseason.
“There are three other guys,” McAllister said. “You have Julio [Jones] – 1, Amari Cooper and Tyreek Hill. All of those guys are up or trying to negotiate a new contract. We saw what happened with [Antonio Brown] being traded from the Steelers out to Oakland. Oakland moved some money around and gave him some new money. And we feel confident in saying that if Odell does what we think he can do up in Cleveland, he’s going to want another bite at the apple after this season. So for the Saints, they probably saved themselves probably anywhere between $5-10 million in guaranteed money by getting it done now.”
You can hear full coverage of Saints training camp nightly on WWL Radio with Sports Talk at 4pm followed by the Last Lap at 8.
