#1. Michael Thomas, WR – New Orleans Saints
The one player on this list without an expiring contract after 2021, the New Orleans Saints top receiver, Michael Thomas, still has four years left on his current deal. But that might be the biggest reason the Saints could be willing to part ways with him.
Losing quarterback Drew Brees to retirement this offseason, New Orleans could view themselves as being in a rebuild soon. And if they are looking to stockpile picks to help make their turnaround quicker, Thomas could be on the trade block.
Thomas is also coming off an ankle injury that limited him to just seven games in 2021. And it resulted in him posting career-lows across the board recording just 40 receptions for 438 yards and no touchdowns while averaging just 11.0 yards per catch.
With a salary cap hit of $10.1 million this season, the Saints might be leaning towards keeping Thomas around for one more year. But that number jumps to a whopping $24.7 million in 2022 according to spotrac.com and New Orleans has an out after this season.
Still only 28-years old, Michael Thomas is a three-time Pro Bowler and two-time First-Team All-Pro who was named the NFL Offensive Player of the Year just two years ago. But with his quarterback retiring, coming off an injury-plagued season, and owning a hefty contract that doesn’t aid a potential rebuild in New Orleans, Thomas could be a great trade target for the receiver-needy Detroit Lions.