The Facts: Following up on the ongoing story. ... On Friday, we were told that the Saints and Thomas were close. Soon, they may be getting the cigar. Per a league source, the current chatter on the NFL grapevine is that the Saints and Thomas, who is holding out for a new deal, will be reaching an agreement soon.
Diehards Line:
The sense as of last Friday was that Thomas wanted $20 million per year on a five-year extension, and that the team was in the range of $19 million per year. As G.M. Mickey Loomis said Monday, issues like structure and guarantees also become relevant when attempting to resolve a contractual impasse. Thomas is subject to fines in the amount of $40,000 per day. That’s peanuts in comparison to what he’s trying to get. Also, the Saints likely won’t be withholding those amounts from his first game check; NFL teams routinely forgive those fines.