Saints' Michael Thomas After Contract Restructure: 'A Fresh Start Isn't a New Place'

New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas appears ready to start anew even if he isn't going anywhere.

"A fresh start isn't a new place, it's a mindset," he tweeted Sunday in the aftermath of his contract restructuring.

ESPN's Field Yates reported the Saints converted $14.6 million of his deal and $18.2 million of offensive tackle Ryan Ramczyk's deal into signing bonuses for 2022. The moves created $26.2 million in additional cap space.

Mike Triplett of ESPN suggested the move is also further proof the Saints will not trade Thomas since "they'd be on the hook for all of that money on the cap this year (plus previous signing bonus) if they traded him to another team."

The Ohio State product missed the 2021 season with injuries and appeared in just seven games in 2020. He was arguably the NFL's best wide receiver before the setbacks and led the league in receptions two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.

Thomas finished that 2019 campaign with 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns.

The three-time Pro Bowler will be under the spotlight in 2022 as he looks to return to that form.