Michael Thomas is expected to undergo multiple ankle surgeries, as Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. The wide receiver played through the pain down the stretch, hoping to help Drew Brees capture another ring.
Thomas suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1 and was limited to just seven games in 2020. Later on, the Saints handed Thomas a one-game suspension for striking a teammate. Then, he missed time with a hamstring injury. This year was a bit of a mess for Thomas, who finished out the regular season with just 40 catches for 438 yards. He did manage to catch five passes for 73 yards and one score in the Saints’ playoff win over the Bears, however.
Entering 2020, Thomas had missed just two contests in his pro career. He was also in much better standing with the Saints, who reportedly considered trading him before the fall deadline.
Thomas inked a massive five-year, $100M extension with the Saints in July of 2019. At the time of signing, that deal made him the highest-paid receiver in league history. At this point, parting ways with Thomas would leave the Saints with a major dead-cap charge — they can ill afford that, given the dead money that would come with a Brees retirement.
Assuming Thomas comes back at 100% health, the Saints’ best bet would be to stay the course with him. Besides, Thomas remains one of the league’s most dangerous offensive weapons.
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