The Saints letting the 31-year-old go makes sense given their cap crunch and desire to rebuild. Dan Graziano and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN pointed to the Ravens and Broncos as potential new homes for Thomas.
Graziano and Fowler write the following: “Michael Thomas’ contract with the Saints is set to void, making him a free agent. A few scouts pointed out Baltimore as a good fit. The Ravens likely won’t re-sign Odell Beckham Jr., and they value established veterans at the receiver position. But a reunion with former New Orleans coach Sean Payton in Denver also makes sense. ‘When he’s out there and healthy, he affects the game,’ an NFC scout said.”
Thomas following Payton to Denver after their six years together makes sense, though the quarterback situation there won’t make the reunion as enjoyable as it could be. Anything Payton can do to help Thomas inch closer to his old All-Pro form is not likely to make them a playoff team.
The Ravens, however, would give Thomas a legitimate shot at winning. Along with Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews, he would continue to give Lamar Jackson a solid receiving core. Baltimore has perhaps more key free agents than any other team, though, so signing Thomas probably won’t be a priority if he does end up on its radar.
