What It Means:

The move converted almost $15 million of Thomas' 2022 compensation into a signing bonus, freeing up cap space for the team while simultaneously all but locking in Thomas for the upcoming season. The relationship between the two parties has been described as tumultuous at points over the past two seasons, but both Thomas and the Saints appear to be content with how things stand as they head into the new season.

Thomas missed the entirety of the 2021 NFL season after suffering a devastating ankle injury in 2020. His recovery process from that injury (and communication with the team about it) became a point of contention during the season, but the star receiver appears to be on the mend and ramping up for the upcoming season. When we last saw Thomas healthy, he was tearing the league up on his way to 149 catches for 1,725 yards and 9 scores back in 2019.