New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas has recently become the center of controversy after he posted on Twitter about a certain individual or group who tried to "damage" his reputation. Thomas didn’t mention any names, but most people believe that he’s referring to his current team, the New Orleans Saints.
The drama surrounding Thomas and the Saints has started when he suffered an injury during the 2020 NFL season. After he refused to immediately undergo surgery this summer, Saints head coach Sean Payton publicly expressed his disappointment with Thomas’ decision which obviously didn’t sit well with the veteran wide receiver.
Michael Thomas Meets With Coach Sean Payton To Discusse Issue
Despite their recent misunderstanding, Thomas and the Saints haven’t completely given up on their partnership. According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo Sports, Thomas recently decided to meet Payton to discuss the issue instead of making a trade request.
"Two sources familiar with the talks said Payton and Thomas had a recent meeting to clear the air over two lingering issues: comments Payton made regarding his frustration over the offseason timing of Thomas’s ankle surgery; and a subsequent social media post from Thomas that suggested the wideout was now at odds with the team," Robinson wrote.
Michael Thomas & Coach Sean Payton Reportly Have A ‘Good Talk’ About The Issue
Their relationship turned sour due to a lack of communication from Thomas’ camp. Instead of taking the team’s advice, Thomas chose to follow the second opinion from a doctor who told him that he would be 100 percent ready in the 2021 NFL season even without surgery.
According to one source who spoke to Yahoo Sports, Thomas and Payton have a "good talk" about the issue. During their latest meeting, Thomas and Payton were given the opportunity to voice out their frustrations. After that, they both agreed that there’s no longer any reason for the issue to go any further.
Why A Reconciliation Make Sense For Michael Thomas & Saints?
Fixing the issue instead of heading into a divorce would be beneficial for Thomas and the Saints. For Thomas, playing for the Saints after he fully recovers from his injury would allow him to revive his career and prove to everyone in the league that he still has plenty of gas left in his tank.
Meanwhile, for the Saints, keeping Thomas would be what is best for them right now. With his health issues and the controversy that he’s previously involved in, his trade value is currently at an all-time low.
Teams That Are Closely Monitoring Michael Thomas’ Situation With Saints
One general manager who spoke to Yahoo Sports thinks that if Thomas is 100 percent healthy, his trade value would be in the "neighborhood of a first- and third-round pick package." However, with the time he needs to return to perfect shape, a deal involving Thomas is less likely to happen anytime soon.
Still, it isn’t expected to stop interested teams from monitoring his situation in New Orleans. According to CBS Sports, some of the potential suitors of Thomas on the trade market include the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, New England Patriots, Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Chargers, and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
