Tag: Michael Thomas

B/R drafts the Saints ultimate draft class over the last decade

You get one Saints draft pick from each round over the last 10 years. Who misses the cut in building the team’s ultimate draft class?

The New Orleans Saints have had on-and-off success over the last eight years in the NFL draft. The hiring of Jeff Ireland coincides with this trend. It’s typically pretty solid with some deathly lows. The second round has arguably been their best round in that time frame. Leave Foskey as TBD and Ireland’s worst second rounder is Pete Werner. That’s a pretty strong hit rate.

As this year’s draft rolls around, Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler took a look at each team’s highs over the last ten years. Fowler formed an ultimate draft class of each team’s best selection from each round over the past decade. The range has expanded but you won’t see any pre-Ireland draftees on this list. Here are his picks for the Saints:

Round 1: OT Ryan Ramczyk (2017)

Round 2: WR Michael Thomas (2016)

Round 3: RB Alvin Kamara (2017)

Round 4: DL David Onyemata (2016)

Round 5: DT Tyeler Davison (2015)

Round 6: OT Landon Young (2021)

Round 7: LB Kaden Elliss (2019)

The Saints’ 2017 draft produced a legendary draft class. That class, somewhat surprisingly, is tied with 2016 for the most selections in this exercise. When you take a deeper look at the Saints 2017 draft, it features two 1st round picks and three players third round picks. The majority of the ultimate draft class were easy decisions, but there were a few tough calls.

Fowler highlights Marshon Lattimore as the player who missed the cut. The battle between him and Ramczyk was decided by the offensive tackle’s 1st team All Pro in 2019. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is another player who has a strong case to be on the list. The fourth rounder was a big part of the defense, but Onyemata’s longer tenure may have given him the edge.

Other quality players who didn’t make the list are Trey Hendrickson. He steadily improved before hitting double-digit sacks in his final year in New Orleans. However, no third round pick was beating the Saints all time leader in touchdowns, Alvin Kamara. Michael Thomas’ dominant stretch led to Marcus Williams, Erik McCoy or Vonn Bell receiving the second round slot.

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B/R labels Malachi Corley as the perfect fit for Saints WR corps

The Saints should look to add a wide receiver at some point in the 2024 NFL draft. Is Malachi Corley the perfect fit with Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed?

Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed provide a solid foundation for the New Orleans Saints receiving corps, but confidence thins in that position group after that. A.T. Perry could carve out a bigger role in his second season. Derrik Klassen labels Western Kentucky’s Malachi Corley and his yards after catch as the perfect fit for New Orleans in the NFL draft.

Everyone loves a short, stocky receiver with a mean streak, hence everyone loves Malachi Corley. A sturdy 5’11” and 215 pounds, he is more running back than wide receiver. He’s not yet a polished, expansive route-runner, but my word can he bring the pain with the ball in his hands. He’s an explosive, violent ball-carrier with the natural vision and balance to squeeze out extra yards in any scenario. At the very least, he is going to be a nice screen and underneath YAC threat in the NFL.

An ability to run after the catch is an attribute the Saints should look to improve from last season, but it doesn’t appear to be the top priority in skill sets to add. The Saints are in the market for a receiver with size. The Saints just lost Michael Thomas, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see them add someone similar to replace him.

Corley’s ability with the ball in his hands could lead him to a Deebo Samuel-style role. The two are comparable in size, and the 49ers, ironically, were also listed as a perfect fit. It’s less about Corley’s talent and more about alignment with the Saints’ vision. They are in the market for a bigger receiver to operate in the middle of the field and catch 50-50 balls. That isn’t something he’s shown much of a knack for after going 4-17 on contested targets last season, but Corley does enough other things well to where he could still be on the team’s radar.

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New mock draft from former NFL GM has Saints passing on OL to add new weapon

Former NFL GM Mike Tannenbaum acknowledged that OL is a big need, but says the value at WR was too great for the Saints to pass up in his new mock draft:

There’s little question that upgrading the offensive line is the top priority for the New Orleans Saints going into the 2024 NFL draft, but that doesn’t mean it will be the only position group they look to address. And if the cards fall a certain way, they might have little choice but to put out another fire first.

That’s what happened in Mike Tannenbaum’s new mock draft for ESPN. The longtime Miami Dolphins and New York Jets executive shared his thoughts on what may happen in the first 32 picks of this year’s draft, and he sees a future where the Saints pass on their top needs because the value is too strong elsewhere to ignore.

Here’s why Tannenbaum says the Saints should draft Washington Huskies wide receiver Rome Odunze if given the opportunity:

“Offensive line might be the bigger position of need, but this value for Odunze is just too good. He’s available at this point only because I’ve had five QBs come off the board, pushing down a great player. It’s a break for the Saints, who need another young WR to complement Chris Olave and Rashid Shaheed. Odunze is one of my favorite prospects in the class — he ran a 4.45 40 at 6-3 and 212 pounds in Indy and plays even bigger and faster than that. I love his physicality at the catch point and ability to break tackles in the open field. He had 92 catches for 1,640 yards and 13 scores last season and should develop into a front-line No. 1 WR. I see a lot of Terrell Owens in his game.”

Odunze is a special talent, and he could fill the void the Saints have been working around over the last three years with a series of injuries sidelining Michael Thomas. When you watch him, Odunze moves smoothly, like Olave, but he’s a more versatile player who can line up at the split end, win a contested catch (he was 21-of-28 on them in 2023) and make a play with the ball in his hands (he averaged 5.6 yards after the catch per reception last year). Marvin Harrison Jr. and Malik Nabers have earned top billing, but in almost any other year Odunze would be a top-10 lock.

And, yes, the Saints should probably consider drafting him if he’s available. They still need to address both tackle spots and guard, somehow. They can’t count on Trevor Penning, James Hurst, and Ryan Ramczyk each playing 17 games at a high level.

But the strength of this draft class along the offensive line is impressive. There are going to be starting-quality blockers drafted in the second and third rounds like Kingsley Suamataia (BYU), Patrick Paul (Houston), Christian Jones (Texas), and more. It’s a gamble to draft anything but offensive line in the first round, and it’s very possible the Saints would lose that wager. At the same time, there’s real wisdom in giving Derek Carr and whichever quarterback might succeed him in a few years a receiving corps that includes Olave, Shaheed, and Odunze. We’ll see how it plays out in a month.

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Bill Barnwell lists Broncos as the best fit for WR Michael Thomas

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell lists the Broncos as the best fit for free agent WR Michael Thomas. Would a reunion with Sean Payton pay dividends?

Bill Barnwell recently published a list on ESPN of the best fits for some of the top NFL free agents still available. He has the Denver Broncos listed as the best fit for former New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas.

New Orleans recently cut Thomas, who has played in just 20 games in the last four seasons due to various injuries. Before that, he played in 63 out of 64 possible games in his first four seasons under then-Saints coach Sean Payton.

Could the receiver now reunite with Payton in Denver?

“Denver’s roster is in flux as it rebuilds post-Russell Wilson, but after trading Jerry Jeudy, it looks like it will run with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims as its top two wideouts,” Barnwell wrote on ESPN.com. “Tim Patrick took a pay cut to return, but he has missed each of the last two seasons with injuries. Thomas could reunite with former coach Sean Payton and compete with Patrick for that third wideout role.”

Thomas’s first four seasons had him on track for a sure-fire Hall of Fame career. However, as stated previously, injuries have depleted him in the last four seasons. A chance to reunite with Payton could be the jump start his career needs.

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ESPN says Michael Thomas should reunite with ex-Saints coach Sean Payton

ESPN’s Bill Barnwell sees a “perfect fit” for Michael Thomas on the Broncos. Can he and Sean Payton get back on the same page?

It would be surprising to see Michael Thomas and Sean Payton wearing the same team’s colors again, but you never know. ESPN’s Bill Barnwell made the case for the former New Orleans Saints wide receiver to work with the ex-Saints head coach, saying that the Denver Broncos could be a perfect fit for Thomas as he searches for a new team.

“Denver’s roster is in flux as it rebuilds post-Russell Wilson,” Barnwell wrote, “but after trading Jerry Jeudy, it looks like it will run with Courtland Sutton and Marvin Mims as its top two wideouts. Tim Patrick took a pay cut to return, but he has missed each of the last two seasons with injuries. Thomas could reunite with former coach Sean Payton and compete with Patrick for that third wideout role.”

From a pure personnel perspective, it makes sense. The Broncos need a receiver. Thomas is a receiver. That’s a match, right?

Not so fast. Thomas’ relationship with Payton fractured over the years, with Thomas blaming Payton for the ankle injury that started his long-lasting medical issues; Thomas was asked to go out and block late in a blowout win, and to return quickly in order to help Drew Brees in the last year of his career. Thomas was set to leave the Saints after Payton stepped down from his post until Dennis Allen flew out to California to recruit him back to the team.

Payton also benched Thomas and fined him for fighting with a teammate in practice at one point, and there had been other pressures building behind the scenes. So it would be surprising to see the two of them together again. Still, if Thomas isn’t seeing many offers in free agency, this isn’t a possibility we should rule out.

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Misdemeanor charges against Michael Thomas were dismissed, says attorney

Misdemeanor charges stemming from a Nov. 2023 arrest against Michael Thomas were dropped on Wednesday, his attorney told ESPN:

Michael Thomas can move on. His attorney Daniel Becnel told ESPN’s Katherine Terrell on Wednesday that misdemeanor charges stemming from a Nov. 2023 arrest had been dropped due to insufficient evidence, meaning the former New Orleans Saints wide receiver can focus on the next step for his NFL career.

Thomas was charged on counts of simple battery and criminal mischief,  having been accused of shoving a contractor and throwing a brick at his windshield over a parking dispute outside his home in Kenner, La. But Becnel says there was no proof of an altercation.

“There was no assault, there was no brick thrown,” Becnel told Terrell. “This was a dispute between a contractor and his employees, who were blocking his driveway and who were parking and walking on his grass. 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 was released from custody the same night he was arrested by the Kenner Police Department, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Saints’ road game with the Minnesota Vikings just two days later.

Now a free agent, Thomas is eager to move on with his career and find a fresh start in a new city on a new team. It’ll be interesting to see where the 2019 Offensive Player of the Year ends up, and whether he’ll be suiting up against his former teammates in 2024.

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Saints to release Jameis Winston, Michael Thomas in procedural moves Wednesday

As was expected, the Saints will release Jameis Winston and Michael Thomas in procedural moves on Wednesday. Here’s what it means for the salary cap:

We knew this was coming, but now it’s confirmed, and there’s no going back. The New Orleans Saints will be releasing quarterback Jameis Winston and wide receiver Michael Thomas on Wednesday with post-June 1 designations, per Over The Cap’s Jason Fitzgerald, making both of them unrestricted free agents. A number of other players around the league are being let go with the same designation, including Odell Beckham Jr.

It’s unclear whether Thomas was given permission to begin speaking with other teams prior to being released, like Winston, but that’s a reasonable assumption. In Winston’s case, he already knows where he’ll be playing football in 2024: the Cleveland Browns. Winston has agreed to terms on a one-year deal worth up to $8.7 million. He’ll be backing up Deshaun Watson who is still recovering from season-ending surgery on his throwing shoulder in 2023.

Teams are only allowed to designate two releases as post-June 1 cuts each offseason, which is done for accounting purposes to help manage the salary cap. Here are the remaining salary cap hits the Saints will carry in 2024 and 2025 after moving on from both players:

  • 2024: $15.69 million in total. $11.1 million (for Thomas) and $4.59 million (for Winston). This is about 6.1% of the salary cap
  • 2025: $16.54 million in total. $9.18 million (for Thomas) and $7.36 million (for Winston). This is about 5.9% of an estimated $280 million salary cap

It’s frustrating to lose so much salary cap space for players no longer on the roster, but that’s the cost of doing business sometimes. And things will get a little easier for the Saints on June 2, at which point they will get some cap relief. They’ll receive a $2.42 million cap credit for both players’ base salaries coming off the books, which can go towards signing their rookie draft class.

We’ll see what’s next for both of them, and for the Saints. Players come and go but the NFL’s calendar keeps moving on.

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Saints aren’t tendering wide receiver Lynn Bowden Jr.

The Saints aren’t tendering Lynn Bowden Jr., which means only 3 of the 11 wide receivers who played for them last year are set to return for 2024:

Get ready for a new-look New Orleans Saints wide receiver corps in 2024. The Saints will not be tendering veteran wideout Lynn Bowden Jr., per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, which will make him a free agent when the new league year begins on March 13.

This isn’t too surprising in itself. Bowden primarily worked as a blocker and decoy for the Saints, only drawing 16 targets in 15 games last year while catching 11 passes for 83 yards, picking up a pair of first downs. He also recorded 5 rushing attempts for 32 yards on the ground, moving the chains three times. He was a serviceable emergency returns specialist, averaging 7.6 yards per punt return and 21.3 yards per kick return. That isn’t production teams pay top-dollar for.

But things are interesting under the surface. Fowler initially said that Bowden was an exclusive rights free agent, not a restricted free agent, which he later said was a mistake. Not tendering Bowden as a restricted free agent made sense because it costs at least $2,985,000. Re-signing Bowden at the league-minimum salary is an option.

Maybe he returns later as a minimum signing, but it’s possible that the Saints will be moving on as offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak revamps the receiving corps. Bowden is the latest wideout from New Orleans’ 2023 team to depart thus far. Let’s break it down:

  • Michael Thomas will enter free agency on Wednesday after being released from his contract
  • Marquez Callaway signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers after his practice squad deal expired
  • Shaquan Davis chose to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles in similar circumstances
  • Kirk Merritt is playing for the UFL’s Houston Roughnecks
  • Jontre Kirklin is with the UFL’s San Antonio Brahmas as well
  • Keith Kirkwood will be an unrestricted free agent, too
  • If you’re curious, the Detroit Lions signed Tre’Quan Smith

Which leaves Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and A.T. Perry as the only receivers returning for the 2024 season (so far). It’s possible Kirkwood and Bowden return at some point but Kubiak has a big opportunity to retool this depth chart. Stay tuned to learn what his plan for accomplishing that is.

Update: Fowler corrected his report, clarifying that Bowden was a restricted free agent (RFA), not an exclusive rights free agent (ERFA). So that confusion can be chalked up to a typo. Maybe the NFL can workshop some abbreviations which aren’t so easy to mistake for one another?

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Bills cut former Saints All-Pro Deonte Harty, but don’t expect a reunion

The Bills released Deonte Harty, a former All-Pro returner with the Saints. But a reunion is ‘not currently in the works’ per NOF’s Nick Underhill:

Could the New Orleans Saints bring back Deonte Harty? Their former All-Pro returns specialist was a salary cap casualty with the Buffalo Bills earlier this week, and on Friday he shared on social media that he was visiting New Orleans, saying “Back like I never left.” Harty is an unrestricted free agent who will not count into the compensatory draft picks formula for 2025.

The Saints need to start adding wideouts at some point. With Chris Olave, A.T. Perry, and Rashid Shaheed under contract for 2024 while Michael Thomas heads out into free agency, they’ve filled just three of the 13 training camp roster spots they used last year on receivers. New offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak is going to want his own players and that many vacancies gives him an opportunity to rebuild the depth chart.

But a reunion with Harty is “not currently in the works,” per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill. So maybe he was just in town visiting old friends. Shaheed has done everything Harty offered at a higher level both on offense and in the return game.

While there’s a chance the situation could change, don’t bet on it. The Saints have a plan for restocking the receiving corps and Harty might be an option if they can’t get other players they’re prioritizing more highly. If he’s still available this summer when they’re filling out the depth chart for training camp, maybe it makes sense to have him compete for a roster spot. At this time the Saints are looking for help elsewhere.

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New Orleans Saints intend to release wide receiver Michael Thomas

The New Orleans Saints plan to release Michael Thomas, per the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Jeff Duncan. This split has been a long time coming:

Here’s what we’ve been expecting: The New Orleans Saints intend to release wide receiver Michael Thomas, as first reported by the Times-Picayune | Advocate’s Jeff Duncan. Duncan says that Thomas has already caught his last pass in a Saints uniform, and that it’s a matter of when, not if, the team will let him go.

Expect the move to be processed as a post-June 1 cut. For accounting purposes, Thomas will remain on the books with a $12.4 million salary cap hit despite being a free agent with the opportunity to sign with other teams. On June 2, the Saints will receive $3.4 million in savings while counting $8.9 million against the cap in dead money this season, deferring $9.1 million onto the 2025 salary cap. If the Saints don’t use that designation, Thomas would count for $18.1 million against this year’s cap total.

A split makes the most sense for everyone. Thomas did his part to help the team in recruiting Derek Carr last offseason, but the quarterback proved to be a poor fit with him by hesitating too often on the in-breaking routes that Thomas runs best. Frustration behind the scenes spilled over onto social media, and now the clock is ticking on everyone going their separate ways.

It’s such a shame. Thomas joined the Saints at the perfect time to help extend Drew Brees’ career, and he was on a trajectory that would have sent him to the Hall of Fame before injuries derailed his career. Even after being limited to just 20 games in the last four years, Thomas will leave the Saints with the second-most receptions (565) and fourth-most yards (6,569) in team history. His 36 career touchdown catches are seventh-most.

Five players have caught 500 or more passes in a Saints uniform, and Thomas is one of two with fewer than 10 fumbles (5), along with Joe Horn (7). There aren’t many receivers who, when at their best, have been as reliable and exciting to watch as Thomas. Injuries and off-the-field drama don’t change that.

Where will he go next? Hopefully a team in the AFC. Playoff contenders like the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs could use another experienced wideout. Wherever Thomas lands, we’ll be wishing him well — except when he’s playing against the Saints.

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