As the Saints try to figure out what to do at quarterback, after Deshaun Watson chose the Browns, the team is trying to make sure their star receiver is pacified.
General Manager Mickey Loomis said earlier this month the Saints expect Michael Thomas back this season after ankle surgery kept the three-time Pro Bowler out in 2021.
New Saints head coach Dennis Allen flew to Los Angeles on Thursday night to meet with Thomas on Friday, Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune reports. Duncan characterizes it as a “get-together . . . for the coach and star receiver to get to know each other better as they begin preparations for the 2022 season.”
The Saints recently restructured Thomas’ contract, which indicated his return.
Thomas had one of the greatest seasons for a receiver in NFL history in 2019 with 149 catches for 1,725 yards and nine touchdowns. But he played only seven games in 2020, catching 40 passes for 438 yards and no touchdowns, and drew the ire of the Saints in 2021 with his late decision to undergo ankle surgery.
There was talk about a possible trade, but the two sides appeared to mend their relationship.