Saints WR Michael Thomas Rips Into Ex-Raiders QB Derek Carr

Getty New Orleans Saints QB Derek Carr.

It was a disappointing season for the New Orleans Saints as they finished 9-8 and missed the playoffs. New quarterback Derek Carr came from the Las Vegas Raiders and had solid numbers with 25 touchdowns to eight interceptions but many didn’t think he played well.

That includes one of his teammates. Wide receiver Michael Thomas hasn’t broken 1,000 receiving yards in a season since 2019 and is blaming Carr for not being able to reach the milestone in 2023.

“Well if I didn’t get set up by a bad ball I probably would’ve had a light little 1k yards this year but could of should of I know, I get it lol,” Thomas wrote in a now-deleted January 28 X post. “On top of that they wasn’t even trying to get me the ball but it’s no denying my style of play it don’t age playa you will see.”

Thomas hurt his knee in the Week 11 game against the Minnesota Vikings and didn’t play the rest of the season. It appears he thinks it’s Carr’s fault that he suffered the injury. Thomas did delete the posts but it’s likely they will make their way to Carr. This could be a situation to watch for the Saints.

Should Michael Thomas Get Cut?

Michael Thomas signed a five-year contract in 2019 but hasn’t been the same player since an ankle injury he suffered during the 2020 season. He only has one more year left on his contract and the Saints could feel like it’s time to move on.

That said, he would have an $18.1 million dead cap hit if he’s released. That’s much bigger than the $10.2 million cap hit he’ll have if he stays on the roster. This is a tough position for New Orleans. Thomas clearly isn’t happy with the offense and is taking shots at his quarterback on X.

He also doesn’t make up for the headaches he causes anymore with his play on the field. It’s unlikely a team will trade for him due to his age (30) and injury history. The Saints could eat that money and move on but there’s a chance Thomas will still be on the team next season.

Will Derek Carr & New Orleans Saints Reach Playoffs in 2024?

Derek Carr spent nine years with the Raiders and only made the playoffs twice. His move to the Saints was supposed to make it easier to get to the playoffs. While he did have a winning record for just the third time in his career, it wasn’t good enough to get to the playoffs.

The Saints signed Carr to big a contract in hopes that he’d be the missing piece for a good roster to get to the playoffs. That wasn’t the case in Year 1 but everybody should be feeling the heat in 2024.

The NFC South is the worst division in the NFL. The Carolina Panthers had the NFL’s worst record this season, the Atlanta Falcons are undergoing a coaching change and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost their offensive coordinator and Baker Mayfield isn’t under contract. Everything is lining up well for the Saints to win the division next season and if they don’t, head coach Dennis Allen could lose his job, which would make Carr’s future uncertain.