Michael Thomas expected to attend preseason opener after meeting with Sean Payton

The writer notes that “Thomas’ attendance came at the request of Payton,” and Duncan wouldn’t be surprised if the two are seen standing together “in a show of solidarity.” Of course, while both sides could put on a fake smile for the press, this seems to be a positive development as the organization looks to overcome their recent fallout.

To review: Thomas is expected to miss a chunk of the Saints’ 2021 campaign due to a late-offseason ankle surgery, and Payton revealed that he would have preferred the receiver underwent the procedure earlier in the offseason in order to be ready for the upcoming campaign. Thomas later fired back at his coach’s comments, leading to the face-to-face meeting earlier this week. According to Duncan, the two sides had a “productive talk,” and everyone left the meeting “feeling positive about the interaction.”

From the organization’s perspective, it always made more sense to resolve the issues vs. trading Thomas elsewhere. For starters, the receiver’s trade value has plummeted. Since he shattered the NFL single-season reception record with 149 in 2019, the Ohio State product has run into multiple injury issues and was suspended for a game for fighting with teammate Chauncey Gardner-Johnson. The past year has affected Thomas’ standing around the league, with two GMs telling Yahoo’s Charles Robinson that the receiver’s trade value has fallen to the point no first-round pick could be attached in a deal without protections.

Of course, Thomas is also out for a while, so no trade would be imminent, regardless. Further, if Thomas does make a full recovery, it makes sense for the Saints to keep him as they look to kick off the post-Drew Brees era with either Jameis Winston or Taysom Hill.