Former Saints WR Michael Thomas' post-June 1st cut gives New Orleans some cap relief
Earlier this offseason, the New Orleans Saints designated Michael Thomas and Jameis Winston as post-June 1 cuts. The decision allows teams to place players in free agency and also gives them the chance to spread out the salary cap costs over the current year and the next. Basically, it is a win-win for teams navigating […]
Earlier this offseason, the New Orleans Saints designated Michael Thomas and Jameis Winston as post-June 1 cuts. The decision allows teams to place players in free agency and also gives them the chance to spread out the salary cap costs over the current year and the next. Basically, it is a win-win for teams navigating the salary cap and players looking for a fresh start.
For New Orleans, they are known for making witty moves to capitalize on limited cap space. Their decision to nominate Thomas as a post-June 1 cuts is another example of that.
Saints are pushing cap costs into the future with Thomas release
Thomas has not signed with a new team yet. A reunion with the Saints seems extremely unlikely.
Until now, Thomas' 2024 cap hit has been $12.4 million. It’ll drop to $8.9 million for the rest of this season while leaving behind a $11.1 million dead money charge in 2025.
The Saints will receive a cap credit of $1.21 million on June 2 because of their decision with Thomas.
The veteran wideout was one of the top wide receivers in football for part of his tenure with the Saints. Meanwhile, his last four years in New Orleans were disappointing due to injuries.
Thomas played in just 20 games during that four-year stretch for the Saints.
He appeared in just three games in two seasons between 2021 and 2022.
Saints fans will always appreciate what Thomas did for them from 2016-2019. His 149-reception season in 2019 is one of thew best seasons in NFL history for any WR. It's smart for the Saints and Thomas to both move on at this point of his career.
