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FROM @GMFB: #Saints WR Michael Thomas has a new issue with his ankle that necessitated an appointment with a specialist recently, sources say. His return date off the PUP list is unpredictable. This is why New Orleans tried to trade for a WR yesterday. pic.twitter.com/dJNXlr3YH3
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2021
We’re on to another frustrating chapter in the Michael Thomas story. There was a brief, beautiful moment when Thomas was seen cheering on his teammates from the New Orleans Saints sideline in Sunday’s big win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without a medical boot or any sort of brace on his ankle, but we aren’t allowed to have good things.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Wednesday that the Saints wide receiver is managing a “new and separate” ankle issue following his recovery from surgery earlier this summer, putting his potential return from the physically unable to perform (PUP) list in jeopardy. Here’s Rapoport’s full quote:
“He is dealing with a new and separate ankle injury. Remember, he had ankle surgery this spring that put him on the sidelines in the beginning of the season. And in the last couple days, he saw a specialist to try to ascertain when is he going to be back and what issues need to be fixed. I talked to a source informed of this situation when he is going to be back and I was told it is unpredictable. So if you’re wondering why behind the scenes the Saints tried to trade for a receiver yesterday and talked to several teams about a potential deal that never ended up happening, this is why. Because we do not know when Saints receiver Michael Thomas is going to be able to be on the field because of a new issue with this ankle.”
That’s not at all where you want to be right now. The Saints have clawed and scrapped to achieve a 5-2 record without Thomas, but now they’re without their best quarterback in Jameis Winston. They explored a trade for disgruntled Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. before Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline but couldn’t convince Cleveland to take on enough of the salary cap hit to make it worthwhile. NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill reported they also pursued New York Giants wideout Darius Slayton but other injuries at the position kept New York from offloading him. That interest is due as much to a sustained absence for Thomas as it is how anemic their passing game has looked without him.
It’s annoyingly easy to see a future where Thomas never plays this season if his condition doesn’t improve. And if the schism between him and the Saints isn’t healed, he could very well never catch another pass in a Saints uniform. The team can save $2 million by cutting or trading him before June 1, 2022 or wait until after that date and recoup $15.8 million. It’s a high-stakes situation and worth monitoring moving forward.
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