The Saints and receiver Michael Thomas are mending fences. Or they’re at least creating the impression that they are.
Jeff Duncan of Nola.com reports that Thomas will attend Saturday’s preseason game against the Ravens, at the request of coach Sean Payton.
Payton and Thomas met recently in an effort to salvage a relationship that seemed to be irrevocably fractured. The friction started last year, and it escalated when Thomas failed to get surgery on his ankle until June. Along the way, he ignored calls from Payton and others. Thomas then accused the team of trying to harm his reputation.
Last year, the Thomas camp tried to get other teams to make a trade offer for Thomas. No offer was made. This year, the best way to get the most value for Thomas comes from creating the impression that everything is fine. Even if it isn’t.
There’s a chance, obviously, that everything is indeed fine. It’s hard to imagine one meeting reversing months of dysfunction.
Here’s one very real possibility, and this is pure speculation: Payton could have told Thomas that his best move will be to commit to having a big season, and that maybe a trade will happen next June, when the cap consequences for doing so would be much more manageable for the Saints.
