Will Michael Thomas’ handling of ankle injury increase tension with Saints?

The timing of Michael Thomas’ offseason ankle surgery raised some eyebrows. It may also have the New Orleans Saints somewhat annoyed with their star receiver.

According to Nick Underhill of NewOrleansFootball.com, Thomas saw a specialist about his ankle after the 2020 season ended, and was told that rehab might be enough to heal the ankle. Thomas was told to come back in roughly a month to see if surgery would be necessary, but Thomas never returned for the second appointment.

In June, when Thomas arrived for offseason workouts, the Saints realized his ankle was still in bad shape and told him to get the surgery. Instead of undergoing the procedure early in the offseason, which would have allowed him to be ready for the start of the season, Thomas will now miss at least the start of the season as he recovers.

Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk added context to Underhill’s reported timeline. Florio suggested that assuming the report is true, there’s a “very good chance” Thomas has angered the Saints by dragging out the process. Florio also pointed out that Thomas and the Saints had issues last season, and his name was coming up in trade rumors as recently as January.

The 28-year-old wide receiver signed a five-year extension with the Saints in 2019. His status may be worth watching as he works his way back from injury, especially if there are lingering bad feelings between himself and the organization.