Michael Thomas has already established himself as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and as he continues to develop into an even better player, the contract he’ll demand grows. As the New Orleans Saints continue to try and work on an extension with him, recent reports suggest that Thomas is going to be asking for a very large contract.
Thanks to a report earlier this week (via Pro Football Talk), it’s known that the Saints and Thomas still have a very wide gap when it comes to contract discussions. While the exact terms of the talks are unknown, it’s being reported that Thomas is seeking an average annual salary of $22 million for his next deal.
According to NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan, the Saints are somewhat close, offering him a reported $18 million per year. That number would put Thomas right on par with Odell Beckham Jr., who currently has the highest average salary per year for a wide receiver. However, with other superstar receivers like Thomas, Julio Jones, A.J. Green, and Amari Cooper all looking to get new deals, it likely wouldn’t be the most for very long.
From the sound of it, Thomas is looking to either reset the wide receiver market or become the highest paid receiver for a brief moment. While it’s likely that whichever receiver gets an extension after Thomas will surpass him, it’s hard to argue that Thomas isn’t deserving of being the highest paid player at his position. He’s quickly shot up the rankings and has established himself as arguably the best receiver in the game, and continues to help keep the Saints in the Super Bowl contender conversation.