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Michael Thomas (WR)

Minor NFL Transactions: 9/10/24

September 10th, 2024 at 4:19pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Tuesday’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Carolina Panthers

Cleveland Browns

New York Giants

Pittsburgh Steelers

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Free Agent

Not long after being a 49ers cut as the NFC champions pared set their initial 53-man roster, Parker secured another opportunity. The 49ers carried Parker on their roster this offseason and brought him back shortly after releasing him. A 33-game starter with the Raiders, Parker joins a Falcons roster housing Storm Norton as the swingman behind Jake Matthews and Kaleb McGary.

Isaac went to camp with the Bucs but caught on with the Panthers, via their barrage of waiver claims, after being waived. The Panthers waived Isaac before their Week 1 game. Isaac initially signed with the Bucs as a 2023 UDFA and played in two games last season.

Hatten incurred a five-game suspension today. A Seahawks UDFA this year, Hatten did not make the team’s 53-man roster. At the same time, the NFL lifted the suspensions of the other three free agents, Jackson, Muhammad, and Thomas.

WR Michael Thomas Issued One-Game Suspension

August 30th, 2024 at 3:44pm CST by Adam La Rose

Michael Thomas remains a free agent, and he is set to miss the opening game of the campaign if he lands with a team before Week 1. The former Saints All-Pro has been given a one-game suspension, as noted by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

This ban will be classified as a personal conduct violation, Rapoport adds. The suspension stems from a November incident for which Thomas was arrested. The 31-year-old was alleged to have pushed a contractor and thrown a brick at his windshield after a verbal altercation. Thomas’ representation later denied the situation became violent.

In March, it was learned Thomas was set to enter a pre-trial diversion program. Upon its completion, the case – which brought forth misdemeanor simple battery and criminal mischief charges – was dropped. That brought an end to the three-time Pro Bowler’s legal situation, but precedent has shown criminal convictions are not required for NFL suspensions to be handed down. In this case, Thomas will now be required to sit out at least the opening game of the campaign, although he is currently set to miss much more time than that in the absence of a contract.

Thomas was among the NFL’s top receivers during his prime years in New Orleans. The former second-rounder broke the all-time receptions record in 2019 (149), leading the league in yards as well (1,725). That production earned him Offensive Player of the Year honors, but things have not gone according to plan since. Injuries limited him to 10 games between 2020 and ’22, and he suited up for that many contests last season.

In a move set up by the nature of his contract, Thomas was cut by the Saints this offseason. No teams have been connected to a free agent pursuit due to the long list of ailments he has dealt with in recent years, something which has of course also hurt his production. Thomas remains free to sign with a new team at any time, but in the wake of today’s news his chances of landing a deal before the start of the season have taken a hit.

Latest On Dolphins’ WR Pursuit

April 6th, 2024 at 9:26am CST by Ben Levine

The Dolphins continue to search for a third receiver behind Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, but the team isn’t willing to break the bank for the position. A league source that has talked with the Dolphins believes the organization is only willing to spend “a few million” on another wideout, per Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.

[RELATED: Dolphins Submit Offer To OBJ]

The team reportedly made an offer to Odell Beckham Jr., and Jackson says the veteran “remains Miami’s top choice” for the role. Jackson also passes along that the two sides have continued to speak about a potential deal, but the writer believes OBJ isn’t looking for a significant discount on the $15MM he earned from the Ravens in 2023. In that case, the Dolphins’ offer of a “few million” might not be enough.

The organization has also been mentioned as a suitor for free agent Tyler Boyd. However, the long-time Bengals wideout isn’t looking to take a major pay cut on the $10.3MM he earned last season, per Jackson. Hill has pushed for the Dolphins to pursue Michael Thomas, but Jackson says the front office has been “more mindful” of pursuing players with significant injury histories.

The Dolphins will likely continue to be patient until after the draft, and Jackson believes the organization would be comfortable filling that WR3 hole with a rookie. In that scenario, the Dolphins would probably take themselves out of the running for the top remaining free agent WRs.

Cedrick Wilson Jr. served as the team’s third wideout in 2022 and 2023, but he left for the Saints this offseason. Besides Hill, Waddle, and slot receiver Braxton Berrios, the rest of the current WR depth chart lacks experience. That grouping includes River Cracraft, Braylon Sanders, Erik Ezukanma, and Anthony Schwartz.

Latest On WR Michael Thomas

March 21st, 2024 at 9:28am CST by Adam La Rose

Michael Thomas is one of the most high-profile free agents still on the market, but his injury history has helped keep him in free agency well past the start of the new league year. His legal situation is no doubt a factor that regard as well.

Regarding the latter, Thomas now has a path to having misdemeanor simple battery and criminal mischief charges against him dropped. Attorney Daniel ‘Becket’ Becnel initially stated those charges have already been dropped, but the Kenner City Attorney’s Office later clarified that Thomas will enter a pre-trial diversion program. Upon completion of the program, the case will be closed, as detailed by ESPN’s Katherine Terrell.

Thomas was arrested in November after a dispute which took place near his home. The 31-year-old was allegedly involved in a verbal altercation with a local contractor arising from issues of parking on his street and in his driveway. The charges arose from Thomas being accused of pushing the victim and throwing a brick at his car windshield. Rather than having the case proceed to trial, however, this development will give Thomas a clear means of putting it behind him.

“There was no assault, there was no brick thrown… This was a dispute between a contractor and his employees, who were blocking [Thomas’] driveway and who were parking and walking on his grass,” Becnel said in a statement (via Terrell). “It came to a head one day, but there was no criminality involved. That’s obvious by the lack of any type of civil suit, the lack of any type of property damage, the lack of any medical issues and the lack of any physical evidence that criminal action took place.”

Thomas played in the Saints’ next game one day after the arrest, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury during that contest. The former Offensive Player of the Year was released last week, a move foreshadowed by the structure of the contract he played on last year. Given his career accomplishments – including a record 149 catches in 2019 – the two-time All-Pro has a stronger resume than any wideouts still on the market. His injuries have limited him to just 20 games over the past four years, however.

The former second-rounder earned $6.46MM in 2023, and another short-term deal worth far less than the $19.25MM-per-year extension he landed in 2019 will no doubt await him this offseason. With his legal situation now on track to be resolved, it will be interesting to see if interest picks up in the near future.

Saints Release WR Michael Thomas

March 13th, 2024 at 3:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

MARCH 13: The Saints will follow through with this reported plan. Thomas is no longer on the team’s roster as of the start of the 2024 league year, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Thomas’ dead money hit will drop from $12.4MM to $11.2MM, NewOrleans.football’s Mike Triplett notes. This separation will still be expensive for the Saints, who will take on a $9.2MM hit in 2025. The Saints also cut Thomas with a failed physical designation.

Rather than Maye, the Saints are using their second post-June 1 designation on Jameis Winston. Due to another uniquely structured contract, Winston’s cap charge will drop from $4.6MM to $3.4MM on June 2, Tripplett adds. The Saints will take on $7.3MM in dead cap on the Winston deal in 2025.

MARCH 7: Michael Thomas‘ four-year run of success in the 2010s kept providing chances as his career skidded off track in the 2020s. It appears the injury-prone wide receiver will finally separate from the Saints.

New Orleans is expected to release Thomas when the new league year begins March 13, NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan notes. Although Thomas participated more in games last season than he had since 2019, the former All-Pro’s run of injuries always made it likely he would not be back for the ’24 campaign.

Thomas, who turned 31 last week, missed the Saints’ final seven games due to a knee injury. This ran the former All-Pro’s missed-games count to a whopping 48 since 2020. Various injuries are responsible for this, and the most recent one paused a season in which Thomas had accumulated 39 receptions for 448 yards in 10 games. The yardage total doubles as his most since he notched an NFL-leading 1,725 during the 2019 season, which featured a still-standing NFL record of 149 catches.

That season came on the heels of the Saints giving the former second-round pick a five-year, $96.25MM extension. Thomas had run off back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons in 2018 and ’19, helping Drew Brees remain one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks into his early 40s. But the ankle, foot and knee trouble that has thrown the Ohio State alum’s career off course in the 2020s will almost definitely lead him out of town.

This being the Saints, a complex contract structure is in place. The parties, after multiple adjustments last year, agreed to give it another try on what amounted to a $10MM payment. Thomas’ latest contract was designed to be extended or shed from the Saints’ payroll, as ESPN.com’s Katherine Terrell notes; the latter course will bring about a $11.2MM in dead money via a post-June 1 designation. It appears the Saints will use both their allotted post-June 1 moves this year, with Marcus Maye also set to be cut on March 13.

Thomas was also arrested on a simple battery charge last year, and Duncan adds the talented wideout gained a reputation as a difficult personality inside the Saints’ facility. While this clearly did not dissuade the Dennis Allen-led team from signing off on another reunion last year, as Thomas said he was only interested in playing for the Saints again, the parties will go their separate ways soon.

Although the Broncos are the current landing spot for ex-Saints, it will be interesting to see if Sean Payton would take a chance here. Thomas rankled the Saints by not going through with an ankle surgery early during the 2021 offseason, leading to a mid-offseason operation that delayed his return in what became Payton’s final year with the team. A setback then led to Thomas missing all of the 2021 season, leaving the Saints with a bottom-tier receiving corps. While the Broncos have some issues to sort out at receiver, Thomas would not seem a lock to reunite with Payton once the Saints officially move on. But adding a former All-Pro at a low rate could appeal to a team regrouping after what will become the most expensive release in NFL history.

NFC Notes: Gannon, Allen, Campbell, Saints

December 29th, 2023 at 5:32pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jonathan Gannon‘s Eagles exit brought a tampering penalty against the Cardinals, who made impermissible contact with their new head coach during the offseason. New Arizona GM Monti Ossenfort reached out to Gannon shortly after the NFC championship game, after the two-year Eagles DC expressed a desire to stay in Philadelphia. Gannon did not tell the Eagles about Ossenfort’s pre-Super Bowl call or his intention to interview with the Cardinals, according to ESPN.com’s Tim McManus. This affected Philly’s timing regarding Vic Fangio, who was perhaps this offseason’s most coveted coordinator.

A consultant with the Eagles last season, Fangio was well-liked and became the team’s choice to succeed Gannon as DC. Fangio all but confirmed the timing involving Gannon led him out of town. Before Super Bowl LVII, the Eagles had expected to retain Gannon, McManus adds. When Ossenfort was in Tennessee, he put Gannon’s name on a short list of possible HCs — in the event he landed a GM job. A Jan. 29 report indicated Fangio would accept the Dolphins’ DC offer; he was officially hired Feb. 2. The Cardinals’ Gannon interview request did not emerge until Feb. 12. By that point, the Eagles were aiming to retain Gannon after Fangio had bolted. With the Eagles having demoted their new DC — Sean Desai — and given Matt Patricia play-calling duties, Gannon’s Philly return this week will be interesting.

Here is the latest from the NFC:

  • Listing Jonathan Allen as a player he expects to be traded during the 2024 offseason, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler notes the Commanders defensive tackle is not eager to go through another rebuild. Allen made his views on that matter fairly well known recently, after the team traded Montez Sweat and Chase Young. A losing streak commenced soon after, and Ron Rivera and Martin Mayhew are expected to be fired. Teams asked about Allen at the deadline, and while the Commanders resisted, new owner Josh Harris‘ involvement in the Sweat and Young deals showed an openness to stockpiling draft capital. Allen’s four-year, $72MM extension runs through 2025. It would cost Washington $18MM in dead money to trade Allen before June 1, so it would stand to take a nice offer to pry the seventh-year veteran from D.C.
  • The Giants have phased Parris Campbell out of their receiver rotation, going as far as to make him a healthy scratch in each of the past three games. Campbell signed a one-year, $4.7MM deal in free agency, with The Athletic’s Dan Duggan noting he is losing out on $100K per-game roster bonuses with these scratches. As the Giants emphasize bigger roles for younger wideouts Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt, Campbell is preparing to leave in free agency come March. “When I came here, did I think things would be different? Of course,” Campbell said, via the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy. “… During free agency, the market was kind of slow for receivers, but the Giants gave me an opportunity — and that’s all I want. This coming offseason, whoever is interested in me and wants to give me an opportunity, I’ll take it.” After three injury-plagued seasons, Campbell has stayed mostly healthy over his past two. The ex-Colts second-rounder, however, has 20 receptions for just 104 yards this year.
  • It is unlikely Marshon Lattimore and Michael Thomas return this season, NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill tweets. Lattimore suffered a significant ankle injury and has missed the past five Saints games. Thomas stayed healthier this year than he has since the 2010s, but the former All-Pro wideout has also missed New Orleans’ past five contests. Thomas, who may well be in his final weeks as a Saint, is down with a knee injury.
  • Six teams put in waiver claims on linebacker Christian Elliss, per the Philadelphia Inquirer’s Jeff McLane. The Patriots won out. Had Elliss not garnered any claims, the Eagles wanted to bring him back on their practice squad. A 2021 Eagles UDFA, Elliss had led the team in special teams snaps at the time of his exit earlier this month.

NFC South Notes: Fitterer, Mayfield, Saints

December 15th, 2023 at 10:23am CST by Sam Robinson

With the Panthers bottoming out and David Tepper firing another head coach, it has seemed likely the team will move on from its GM as well. Given Tepper’s comments, it is worth wondering how much power Scott Fitterer has held since Matt Rhule‘s October 2022 firing. But Fitterer is clearly on a hot seat in Carolina. Following Frank Reich‘s ouster, the team should be expected to move on from its third-year GM, per the Washington Post’s Jason La Canfora. Fitterer ran point on the decision to reject the Rams’ two-first-rounder offer for Brian Burns before the 2022 trade deadline, and his negotiations with Ryan Poles led to the March blockbuster for the Bryce Young draft slot.

Of course, it is widely believed Tepper drove the Panthers’ effort to select Young first overall. That process will lead to the Bears holding the Panthers’ 2024 first-round pick, which currently checks in at No. 1 overall. Fitterer hot-seat rumors surfaced before Reich’s firing, and although a November report pointed to Tepper keeping his GM around to help attract Lions OC Ben Johnson shed light on a possible lifeline for the ex-Seahawks exec, a 2024 housecleaning seems likelier given the events of 2023.

Here is the latest from the NFC South:

  • Baker Mayfield signed a one-year, $4MM Buccaneers deal in March, earning a starting job despite a rough 2022. Incentives exist in the sixth-year quarterback’s contract, and Fox Sports’ Greg Auman notes he has cashed in on some of those already. Mayfield has collected $500K by staying in the Bucs’ lineup, with Auman noting the team included $250K bumps for hitting the 55%, 65%, 75% and 85% snap rates. Mayfield staying healthy the rest of the way would lead to him adding $1MM in incentives. Additionally, Auman indicates a bonus exists for a Bucs playoff win. Although the Bucs are 6-7, they currently hold the NFC West tiebreaker. Mayfield is interested in staying with the Bucs beyond this season, though no known extension talks have occurred yet.
  • One of Mayfield’s current division rivals has not enjoyed a healthy season. Derek Carr has sustained two concussions and dealt with shoulder trouble, but the Saints‘ big-ticket QB addition has not missed a start. In addition to the head and shoulder issues, Carr has sustained three rib fractures this year, per NewOrleans.football’s Brooke Kirchhofer. In 10 seasons, Carr has only missed three career games due to injury. But his playing hurt has affected the Saints this season. While Carr’s completion percentage is up significantly from 2022, his QBR has dropped. Given a four-year, $150MM contract that includes $70MM fully guaranteed, Carr ranks 23rd in QBR through 13 games.
  • Michael Thomas has once again seen an injury take him out of New Orleans’ equation. The eighth-year wide receiver, who has dealt with persistent injury issues during the 2020s, is on IR with a knee injury. The former All-Pro will be eligible to be activated in Week 16, but NewOrleans.football’s Nick Underhill doubts he comes back until at least the Saints’ regular-season finale. Should that game not mean anything for the team, Thomas would have little incentive to return. The 30-year-old pass catcher’s 10 games this season are his most since 2019, but he has now missed 43 games since the 2020 season.
  • As Carr dealt with the first of his 2023 injuries, New Orleans attempted to sign a player off Denver’s practice squad. The Saints tried to add Ben DiNucci off the Broncos’ P-squad in September, per the Denver Gazette’s Chris Tomasson. DiNucci, who returned to the NFL after an XFL run, opted to stay where he was for continuity purposes. After DiNucci’s decision, the Saints added Jake Luton to their 53-man roster instead. DiNucci said the Broncos are expected to make up the difference he would have made as part of the Saints’ active roster. Denver elevated DiNucci in Week 13, allowing him to pick up a $48K game check. Doing so two more times would match the total DiNucci would have earned while on the Saints’ 53-man roster for the mandated three weeks.

Saints Place WR Michael Thomas On IR

November 21st, 2023 at 3:56pm CST by Adam La Rose

After leaving the Saints’ last game with what was labeled a signficant injury, Michael Thomas will be shut down for an extended stretch. The All-Pro wideout has been placed on injured reserve, per a team announcement.

In the aftermath of New Orleans’ Week 10 game, head coach Dennis Allen made it clear both Thomas and cornerback Marshon Lattimore were facing extended absences. The former now finds himself in familiar territory, having been placed on IR for the fourth season in a row. Thomas will be forced to miss at least four weeks as a result of today’s move.

The three-time Pro Bowler had managed to suit up for every game in 2023 until this point, marking a welcomed sign of availability after years of injury troubles. His list of ailments includes the ankle injury which cost him the entire 2021 season and put his Saints future in doubt. In his best run of form and health since his record-breaking performance in 2019, Thomas had posted a 39-448-1 statline before the injury.

Now, the 5-5 Saints will move forward without a key member of the passing attack. Thomas sits third on the team in receiving yards behind Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. That pair will remain central to New Orleans’ offense, a unit which may be without quarterback Derek Carr as he continues to recover from a concussion. Thomas – who agreed to a one-year, $10MM deal this offseason – is now set to miss many (if not all) of the incentives present in his pact ahead of a potential tip to free agency.

In a move to add depth at the WR spot, the Saints have brought back Marquez Callaway by signing him to the practice squad. The 25-year-old has played in 42 career games, all with New Orleans. He could be designated a gameday elevation to provide a complementary pass-catching option in Thomas’ absence. To fill the 53-man roster spot opened by Thomas moving to IR, the Saints promoted cornerback Cameron Dantzler from the taxi squad. The team currently has six IR activations available, one of which will be needed to bring Thomas back into the fold if he is able to return in 2023.

Saints’ Derek Carr In Concussion Protocol; CB Marshon Lattimore, WR Michael Thomas Facing “Signficant Injuries”

November 13th, 2023 at 4:05pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Saints exited Week 10 with a loss and the absence of three key players. Head coach Dennis Allen addressed the status of quarterback Derek Carr, cornerback Marshon Lattimore and receiver Michael Thomas on Monday.

Carr underwent testing on his shoulder, but no damage has been done on that front, Allen announced. That is a welcomed development given the AC joint sprain the 32-year-old suffered earlier in the season. However, Carr is in the league’s concussion protocol. His ability to clear the protocol will be worth watching closely, but with New Orleans on the bye in Week 11, the four-time Pro Bowler has plenty of time to receive clearance.

Veteran backup Jameis Winston filled in for Carr to close out yesterday’s game. The former delivered a performance on par with what one would expect from the former No. 1 pick (122 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions on 13-of-25 passing), helping bring New Orleans close to a comeback against the Vikings. Allen reiterated – as he did in his post-game remarks – however, that Carr will remain the undisputed starter when healthy.

Allen indicated the news for Lattimore and Thomas is less encouraging. He said (via Greg Auman of Fox Sports) that both veterans suffered “fairly signficant injuries,” adding that they are not considered season-ending. Each Pro Bowler is seeking a second opinion before deciding on a course of action. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports Lattimore is dealing with a high ankle sprain, as was originally indicated. He is week-to-week as a result.

Thomas exited the Minnesota game after only two offensive snaps due to a knee injury. Given his history of missed time, Allen’s remarks could very well point to an new absence being in play despite the bye week coming at a favorable time. Thomas last played a full season in 2019, the year in which he set the league’s single-season record for receptions in a campaign (149). The two-time All-Pro has rebounded to a degree from numerous ailments since then with 448 yards on 39 catches this season. He has yet to miss a game in 2023.

Sitting at 5-5, the Saints lead the NFC South, so a quick recovery from each veteran would be a major development for their playoff push. Likewise, any notable absences would deal a blow to a team which has struggled to find consistency on offense in particular during the year. Further evaluations for Lattimore and Thomas will be worth watching for as they will shed light on potential recovery timelines.

Saints WR Michael Thomas Arrested

November 11th, 2023 at 10:23pm CST by Ben Levine

Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas was arrested last night and charged with simple battery and criminal mischief, per the Kenner, Louisiana police department (via Travers Mackel of WDSU in New Orleans). Thomas was booked and subsequently released. Nick Underhill of NOF Network first reported on the incident last night.

ESPN’s Katherine Terrell provided more insight on what led to Thomas’ arrest. Neighbors reportedly called the police on the NFL veteran after he became increasingly angry with contractors who were parking on his street. The alleged victim claims that Thomas threw a brick at their car, and they also accused Thomas of throwing their phone after they started recording. The police report indicates that Thomas also shoved the victim.

According to Underhill, no car windows were damaged and the phone was not broken. Thomas reportedly asked the contractors to move their cars throughout the week, leading to yesterday’s incident.

“We aware of the incident and are gathering information,” the Saints said in a statement (via Underhill). The wide receiver is expected to play tomorrow against the Vikings, per Underhill.

As Greg Auman of FOX Sports notes, the misdemeanor charges means Thomas will likely face fines and/or probation. The wideout could realistically face punishment from the NFL under their personal conduct policy.

After getting into only 10 games between the 2020 and 2022 seasons, Thomas will be playing in his 10th game of the 2023 campaign tomorrow. Despite being back to full health, the receiver hasn’t come close to matching his All-Pro production from 2018 and 2019. In nine games (six starts), the veteran has hauled in 38 catches for 439 yards and one touchdown.

This is the second time in less than three weeks that a Saints receiver has been arrested. In late October, Chris Olave was arrested in Kenner for reckless operation of a motor vehicle.

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