Will the New Orleans Saints be able to hammer out a contract extension with Michael Thomas? Things are trending that way, but there’s a couple of important deadlines to dial in on as both sides continue to meet at the negotiating table.
Per NewOrleans.Football’s Nick Underhill, Thomas will be owed a $200,000 roster bonus if he’s on the roster under his current deal at 3 p.m. CT on Wednesday, March 15. That isn’t much more than a drop in the bucket as far as the $223 million salary cap is concerned, but losing that money wouldn’t be the best use of resources.
More concerning is the $31 million roster bonus for 2024 that will become fully guaranteed on Friday. The Saints need to get out in front of that poison pill and reach a resolution with Thomas one way or another — either by tearing up his contract and signing him to a new deal or by releasing him altogether.
Thomas played a part in helping the team recruit Derek Carr, who has been talking about him like a new contract is already signed and delivered. But we’ll have to wait and see if the Saints and the Saints can beat the clock.
