After being groomed in Columbus for three years, Michael Thomas took his talents to the NFL.
Drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft, Thomas has shattered expectations, quickly becoming one of the best in the league. He totaled a league-high 125 receptions last season and turned them into over 1,400 yards.
Those are impressive numbers, and now, he’s trying to shatter those same expectations in a different way.
Thomas is asking for the largest contract in wide receiver history. Currently, Odell Beckham Jr., the Browns star wideout, is the highest paid, making $19 million per year.
Thomas is making just over $5 million. He’s now asking for record-breaking $22 million per year and is headed into a potential contract extension during the 2019 season.
This news was first reported by Jeff Duncan of NOLA.com. If or when he’s given this contract, it’ll truly be telling of how the Saints and the league at large value a high-quality receiver.
He’s top-five, if not the best, receiver in the league. At just 26-years-old, Thomas has, at the very least, five more seasons at an elite level. But, he’s a receiver.
Is he that valuable?
That’s what the Saints will have to determine prior to the 2020 offseason. His contract could shake the league up. However, time will tell, and we’ll see how he’s valued and how his camp handles his upcoming contract situation.
