Saints' Michael Thomas Shades Derek Carr, Says 'Bad Ball' Led to Season-Ending Injury

Michael Thomas is entering the final year of his contract with the New Orleans Saints, but a divorce could come sooner than that based on a series of posts he made on social media.

A knee injury ended Thomas' 2023 season after 10 games, and he cited a "bad ball" from quarterback Derek Carr as causing him to get hurt:

The three-time Pro Bowler also vented his wider thoughts about the team:

A few things can be true.

Thomas was forced to exit New Orleans' 27-19 loss to the Vikings in the first quarter after a high throw from Carr left him a sitting duck for Minnesota cornerback Akayleb Evans. It wasn't the only example of his passes leaving a Saints wideout vulnerable, either.

Thomas' wider grievances might stem from issues that predated Carr's arrival, though.

Due to persistent foot and ankle trouble, the 30-year-old was limited to 10 combined appearances between the 2020 and 2022 seasons. His production to open the 2023 campaign was lagging well behind his best years with Drew Brees at quarterback as well. He had 38 catches for 439 yards and a touchdown through the Saints' first nine games.

Simply put, Thomas hasn't been the same since setting the single-season receptions record (149) in 2019, and the blame for that doesn't fall solely in Carr's lap.

If Thomas is going to openly criticize the starting quarterback, it's hard to see how the relationship between he and Carr can make it another year. Unfortunately for the Saints, jettisoning one of the two is easier said than done.

Carr is only entering the second year of the $150 million contract he signed with the Saints last offseason. Designating him as a post-June 1 cut would still mean carrying $35.7 million in dead money for 2024 and another $17.1 million hit in 2025, with no salary cap savings coming the team's way.

Thomas, meanwhile, has a dead money figure of nearly $18.2 million for next season. Even splitting that figure almost equally over two years in a post-June 1 is a tough sell given New Orleans' dire cap outlook.

But it might be a pill the front office has to swallow if the situation with Thomas is beyond salvageable.