3 teams that should trade for Michael Thomas

It’s almost been a year since the New Orleans Saints reportedly were willing to trade Michael Thomas, and the situation in 2021 feels a bit like déjà vu.

Last season, Thomas’ injuries and bad behavior caused New Orleans to suspend Thomas for Week 5. This season, Thomas’ surgery and bad behavior has once again angered the organization possibly to the point that the Saints would consider trading their star wide receiver.

All the signs of a hostile break-up were there: dishonesty, betrayal, resentment, lack of appreciation. First, the alleged “ghosting.” Then, the roof of the Saints franchise blew up when Thomas posted a coded tweet that appeared to take shots at his own team (written in Comic Sans font, nonetheless…What was Thomas thinking?)

Now, the odds of the Saints actually trading Thomas are very, very low. Sean Payton and Thomas have since begun reconciliation talks, and Thomas was even spotted on the sidelines at the Saints’ preseason game against Baltimore.

Even though offloading Thomas would shave 1.2 million off this year’s cap, the decision doesn’t make financial sense long-term since the Saints would have to take on roughly 23 million in dead cap in 2022.

Moving a top-five receiver and taking a serious hit on their salary cap would warrant only the most blockbuster of trades. And Thomas is still rehabbing, so any team that wants him wouldn’t get to see him in action until mid-season.

But an unexpected offseason trade is every sportswriter’s wild fantasy, and this article serves more to indulge temporary whims than predict realistic outcomes.

New Orleans, after all, are pulling the curtain down on a new Brees-less era. After missing Thomas for most of last season, the Saints at least know they can survive without him.

It’s just a question of whether or not they should.

These are three potential landing spots for Michael Thomas this season.