Thursday 1 August 2019 08:55, UK
All-Pro Michael Thomas and the New Orleans Saints agreed to a five-year, $100 million contract with a $20 million signing bonus that will make him the league's highest-paid wide receiver.
According to multiple reports, the deal - which brings Thomas' training camp holdout to an end - includes $61 million in guaranteed money.
In his young career, 26-year-old Thomas has 321 catches, the most by any player in NFL history in his first three seasons. Last season, he set New Orleans records with 125 catches, which led the league, and 1,405 yards, plus nine TD catches.
Thomas will earn $1.1 million in the final year of his rookie contract in 2019, and the extension will lock him up with the Saints through the 2024 season. He did not report to training camp while awaiting a new deal and set $20 million per season as his benchmark.
New Orleans drafted Thomas out of Ohio State in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft. Had Thomas been selected in the first round, his contract would have run five years through 2020.
The agreement will set the standard for other receivers in line for new contracts, including Julio Jones of the Atlanta Falcons and Amari Cooper of the Dallas Cowboys.
The Saints kick off their preseason against the Minnesota Vikings on Friday, August 9 and their regular season campaign begins when they host the Houston Texans on Monday Night Football on September 9.
