Michael Thomas Injuries Foot
The New Orleans Saints announced that wide receiver Michael Thomas will undergo surgery on his injured toe. MRIs revealed that Thomas suffered a dislocated second toe. He has not practiced since last week’s loss to the Carolina Panthers and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Chris Olave will likely take on a high-volume role in the passing game in the meantime.
MRIs revealed WR Michael Thomas suffered from a dislocated second toe
After a public feud with the Saints over the offseason, MRIs revealed WR Michael Thomas suffered a dislocated second toe. The toe didn’t heal correctly, and the injury required season-ending surgery. Thomas was expected to return in Week 6, but was sidelined for the rest of the season. Thomas hasn’t caught a touchdown since Week 3 of the season.
The dislocation was discovered after Thomas suffered an injury against the Carolina Panthers during the team’s Week 3 game. Thomas underwent surgery to fix the toe, but the procedure was unsuccessful. According to the team’s coach Dennis Allen, Thomas is unlikely to play again this season.
Thomas has not practiced since last week’s loss to Carolina
After suffering a foot injury Week 3 against the Panthers, wide receiver Michael Thomas has not practiced this week and may not be ready to play in Sunday’s game against the Bengals. Thomas’ absence has left the Saints with a crowded receiving corps. Without Thomas, Chris Olave, Jarvis Landry and Deonte Harty are in jeopardy of missing the game as well. The Saints have only two healthy wideouts at the moment in the form of Deonte Harty and Marquez Callaway.
The Saints have also been without wide receiver Jarvis Landry, who has not practiced since the Week 4 game against the Panthers. Both players have been out with injuries, but Thomas’ absence is particularly troubling because he was the leading receiver on both teams last year and the year before. As a result, it is unclear whether or not Thomas will return to the field this season.
Thomas is expected to miss the rest of the season
New Orleans Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas is expected to miss the rest of this season due to an injury to his foot. The toe has been dislocated, and Thomas will undergo surgery to fix the problem. The team placed him on injured reserve on Thursday. The head coach of the Saints has said he expects Thomas to be out the rest of the season. The dislocation was initially thought to be minor, but has turned out to be quite serious and will require surgery.
While the Saints coach said last week that Thomas is unlikely to play the remainder of the season, Thomas has not played since Week four. Thomas’ injury is a huge setback for the team, who have already missed multiple games due to wide receiver Jarvis Landry’s injury.
Chris Olave likely to take over a high-volume role in the passing game
With Michael Thomas’ injury on the horizon, Chris Olave is likely to take over a high-volume passing role for the New Orleans Saints. Thomas has been sidelined with a toe injury since Week 3. While Thomas’ injury might be an inconvenience, it is also an opportunity for Olave to continue his breakout season.
Olave was impressive in Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, catching nine of 13 targets for 147 yards. He was the most productive Saints receiver in the first half, topping his previous high of 72 yards. After halftime, he added three more yards to his total. Olave benefited from a pass-heavy game script and the early departures of Jarvis Landry and Michael Thomas (foot and ankle). Olave’s volume has increased significantly over the past two weeks. He’s likely to see even higher volume against the Vikings in Week 4.
With Thomas out for the remainder of the season, the Saints may choose to cut him early in the offseason. In fact, it is possible that the Saints will realize a small salary savings by cutting Thomas on June 1. As long as Thomas is not out for the entire season, Olave will likely continue to see high volume targets.
Thomas signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Saints prior to the 2019 season
Michael Thomas signed a five-year, 100 million contract extension with the Saints prior to the start of the 2019 season, extending his current contract by another five years. Thomas also received a $20 million signing bonus, the highest of any non-QB offensive player in NFL history. Thomas has been with the Saints since 2016, when the team drafted him in the second round of the NFL Draft. He has hauled in 321 receptions and scored 23 touchdowns in three seasons with the Saints.
The five-year, $100 million contract extension is the largest contract ever signed by a wide receiver in NFL history. It includes $61 million in guaranteed money, and it makes Thomas the highest paid wide receiver in NFL history. The Saints are a good fit for Thomas, as the new deal locks him in the Big Easy through the 2024 season.
