Training Camp Buzz: Michael Thomas Is NFL's Only $100M WR and Deserves All of It
July 31, 2019Training Camp Buzz: Michael Thomas Is NFL's Only $100M WR and Deserves All of It
Wednesday represented the last full day of NFL training camp action before the start of the preseason schedule, which kicks off Thursday night with the Hall of Fame Game in Canton, Ohio.
Teams are now deep into camp, and broad game plans for preseason action are already coming together. As a result, plenty of news is being made at camps across the nation.
Here's a full rundown of the top stories from a busy Wednesday, along with our spin on each development.
Are the Dolphins making a mistake by starting Ryan Fitzpatrick over Josh Rosen? Will the Zeke holdout get resolved? Plus, a college football Big Ten preview. All that and more on the latest edition of the Stick to Football podcast.
Michael Thomas Is Worth Every Penny
Wednesday started with a bang when NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported the New Orleans Saints had agreed to make Michael Thomas the highest-paid wide receiver in NFL history with a five-year, $100 million contract extension. (Calvin Johnson signed an eight-year extension worth up to $132 million in March 2012, but he retired in March 2016 before seeing the life of the contract through.)
The base value of Thomas' deal is actually $19.25 million per season, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, but that still makes him the fifth-highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL behind defenders Khalil Mack, Aaron Donald, Demarcus Lawrence and Frank Clark.
Considering the 26-year-old's career trajectory, the Saints' decision to extend him makes sense. He's coming off his first All-Pro season, but he was also a Pro Bowler in 2017 and went over 1,100 yards with nine touchdowns as a rookie in 2016.
He's the only player in NFL history with 300-plus catches in his first three seasons, and in 2018, he became the first receiver this century to catch 85 percent of the passes thrown his way on 100-plus targets.
He's on an epic pace, and the Saints know they'll need him as they try to make a run at another Super Bowl in the final few years of quarterback Drew Brees' career. This deal essentially gives them control of Thomas for the entirety of his prime, and the length should make it easier to keep the roster strong even when Brees counts for $21.3 million in 2020 dead-cap money regardless of whether he's on the team.
That's why Thomas now makes more money than Odell Beckham Jr. and Antonio Brown, although it might not be long before Julio Jones joins him in the $20-million-per-year range.
The Wide Receiver Market Has Been Reset
Thomas just set a new high-water mark for wide receiver contracts, but the next one might come in the same division.
The Atlanta Falcons view a new deal for Julio Jones as "their most pressing priority," according to Rapoport. His contract, which was revised after a short holdout last offseason, has been a hot topic for some time, and he won't come cheap after he led the NFL with 1,677 receiving yards last season.
He and Brown are the only NFL players with more than 500 catches in the last five seasons. He leads all wideouts with 7,994 receiving yards in that span (only he and Brown have more than 7,000), and he's averaged a ridiculous 9.8 yards per target as well. But Jones still lacks leverage with two years remaining on his contract, and he's on the wrong side of 30.
He'll likely land a raise well above his current average annual salary of $14.25 million. He might even push $20 million per year. But the Falcons likely won't give him a five-year contract at this point in time.
It's even more complicated with Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill, who has undergone a tumultuous offseason and might need to prove he can stay out of trouble before he lands a long-term deal in Kansas City or elsewhere. Still, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that Hill's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was at Chiefs camp Tuesday to discuss a new deal for the All-Pro receiver.
Hill is coming off an even bigger season than Thomas, and he's a year younger as well. The speedster might be worth even more than $20 million per year right now if he weren't liability off the field. He likely cost himself some short-term money this offseason, but in a year, he might still be in line for a $100 million deal.
Finally, there's Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys, who has made "shockingly high" demands entering a contract year after a dominant half-season in Dallas, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.
Cooper hasn't consistently produced like Thomas or Hill, but during his nine-week run with the Cowboys in 2018, he, Jones and Brown were the only players in the league with 50-plus catches for 700-plus yards and more than five touchdowns.
The Cowboys are embroiled in contract buzz regarding fellow offensive stars Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott right now, but executive vice president Stephen Jones recently expressed confidence that the team would reach an agreement with Cooper as well.
Cooper might not earn Thomas-level money, but he likely won't be far off. Especially if he hits free agency next offseason.
Zeke and the Cowboys Reportedly Aren't Close
#ZekeWatch continues in Southern California, where superstar running back Ezekiel Elliott remains absent from Dallas Cowboys training camp.
One day after ESPN's Josina Anderson reported that the league's reigning rushing champion is expected to become the NFL's highest-paid running back "across certain metrics," a source told NFL Network's Jane Slater that the two sides aren't close to striking a deal.
When Slater asked the source what the sticking points were, the answer was "everything."
No bueno.
These things can turn in a hurry, but the Cowboys seem dug in, with owner Jerry Jones recently remarking that "you don't have to have a rushing champion to win a Super Bowl."
Unfortunately for Elliott, Jones is right. In fact, a team with a first-team All-Pro running back hasn't won the Super Bowl this century.
Meanwhile, Elliott is still one season away from his option year, and the Cowboys have already exercised his $9.1 million option for 2020. Throw in the possibility of a franchise tag down the road, and he doesn't have a lot of leverage.
This holdout could linger.
Redskins 'Having Trade Discussions' Regarding Trent Williams
The Washington Redskins might be coming to grips with the idea that Trent Williams won't play another down for them.
Days after Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported that the relationship between the disgruntled offensive tackle and his team had become "totally fractured," Jeff Howe of The Athletic tweeted Washington is "having trade discussions" involving Williams.
"There's a feeling around the league the Patriots would be involved due to depth issues at the position," Howe added.
New England lost 2018 starting left tackle Trent Brown in free agency and is essentially gambling that 2018 first-round pick Isaiah Wynn can jump in after missing his rookie season due to a torn Achilles. Meanwhile, third-round rookie Yodny Cajuste remains on the active/non-football injury list as he recovers from quad surgery.
The Patriots make a lot of sense for the frustrated 31-year-old, especially if his goal is to maximize his chances of winning a championship.
The Redskins would probably require a significant return for Williams, who has been to seven consecutive Pro Bowls and would be an integral protector for first-round rookie quarterback Dwayne Haskins. But with veteran Donald Penn having just joined the fray, the franchise may be ready to move on.
Tom Brady (Sort Of) Addresses His Contract
Incredibly, Tom Brady is only the 19th-highest-paid quarterback in the NFL. Outside of Washington and Miami, no starting quarterback who isn't on a rookie deal will be making less than the 14-time Pro Bowler.
But Brady has always swallowed his pride and sacrificed cash to remain in New England. (Granted, he and his wife are reportedly worth more than a half-billion dollars, which likely makes that sacrifice easier than usual.)
Still, with a contract year looming, Brady was asked about an extension Wednesday. He offered up an interesting answer to that question.
"Have I earned (an extension)? I don't know, that's up for talk show debate," Brady said, per Darren Hartwell of NBC Sports Boston. "What do you guys think? Should we take a poll? Talk to Mr. (Patriots owner Robert) Kraft, come on."
It's hard to imagine Brady hitting free agency as a 42-year-old in 2020, but it's easy to see why the Patriots are willing to wait on a quarterback who continues to defy Father Time.
Brady isn't going anywhere, even if some might perceive his comments from Wednesday to be a hint that he'd like a new deal.
Ravens Cut Jordan Lasley After Just One Season
Fifteen months after the Baltimore Ravens used a fifth-round draft pick on UCLA standout wide receiver Jordan Lasley, they cut him Wednesday, according to Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk.
While that's somewhat surprising, it seems as though Lasley never impressed the brass in Baltimore.
He was hardly a factor last preseason, was inactive for all 16 regular-season games as a rookie and wasn't standing out early in his second training camp. The Ravens probably didn't want to waste their or his time anymore.
It likely isn't a coincidence that the move comes just after Baltimore's first-round pick, Marquise Brown, was activated from the PUP list in the final stages of his recovery from foot surgery.
Brown, Willie Snead, veteran Chris Moore and rookie Miles Boykin are likely the top four options in that receiving corps, but vets Seth Roberts and Michael Floyd are also on the roster.
Look for Lasley to get another shot elsewhere. The guy had more than 1,200 receiving yards with nine touchdowns as a junior in the Pac-12.
Chiefs Move a Cornerback to Running Back
As a rookie last season, Kansas City Chiefs sixth-round pick Tremon Smith played only 74 snaps at cornerback while focusing mainly on special teams. He was one of the top kick returners in the NFL, but the Chiefs seemingly don't have confidence in him as a defensive back.
According to Chiefs reporter BJ Kissel, the team has moved the 23-year-old to running back.
The Chiefs love speed on offense, and Smith runs a 4.3-second 40-yard dash. He's a burner who isn't built like a typical running back but could be utilized for his lightning speed in the backfield.
With the Kareem Hunt era over, Kansas City is giving itself as many options as possible at running back.
Damien Williams remains the lead candidate to take the reins after averaging 5.1 yards per carry last season, but he's dealing with a hamstring injury. Veteran Carlos Hyde, 2018 UDFA Darrel Williams and rookie sixth-round pick Darwin Thompson are also in the mix.
Mitch Morse in Concussion Protocol at Bills Camp
- New Buffalo Bills offensive lineman Mitch Morse—who became the NFL's highest-paid center in March—is in the concussion protocol.
- The Carolina Panthers pulled Pro Bowl linebacker Luke Kuechly from practice as a precaution after he was "caught in a pile-up," according to The Athletic's Joe Person. His status for Thursday is up in the air.
- Washington Redskins head coach Jay Gruden doesn't believe that rookie running back Bryce Love (torn ACL) will be on the active roster in Week 1.
- Falcons rookie offensive tackle Kaleb McGary will undergo a heart procedure this afternoon, according to the team.
- New Miami Dolphins tight end Dwayne Allen (undisclosed injury) has been activated from the PUP list.
- Rookie Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Parris Campbell (hamstring) remains out of practice, per George Bremer of the Herald Bulletin.
- Green Bay Packers running back Jamaal Williams (hamstring) has now missed four straight practices, according to Matt Schneidman of The Athletic. Meanwhile, rookie defensive back Darnell Savage (wisdom teeth) was activated from the non-football illness list.
We also got plenty of injury updates Wednesday. Here are some of the notable developments: