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NEW ORLEANS SAINTS

WR Thomas agrees to 5-year, $100M contract

NEW ORLEANS

The New Orleans Saints and leading receiver Michael Thomas have agreed to a new five-year, $100 million contract, his agent said Wednesday.

Andrew Kessler of the agency Athletes First, who joined colleague David Mulugheta in negotiating the deal with the Saints, said the contract pays Thomas about $61 million in guaranteed salary and bonuses.

The agreement, first reported by NFL Network, brings to an end Thomas’ training camp holdout that spanned five practices.

The Saints had a scheduled day off on Wednesday and Thomas was expected to join practice on Thursday.

Currently, Thomas’ average annual pay of $20 million represents a new high for NFL receivers, eclipsing the $18 million per year paid to Cleveland’s Odell Beckham Jr.

Last season, Thomas ranked first in the NFL in catches with 125, sixth in yards receiving with 1,405 and tied for 10th with nine touchdowns.

Thomas has established himself as an elite receiver with 321 catches for 3,787 yards and 23 touchdowns in his first three NFL seasons.

But other top NFL receivers, including Atlanta’s Julio Jones and Dallas’ Amari Cooper, are nearing the ends of their current contracts and could be in line for similarly lucrative extensions.

Thomas was entering the final season of his rookie deal and was due a little more than $1.1 million. Cooper entered training camp in the final year of his deal, but hasn’t held out. Jones is under contract through 2020.

The sticking point in the Thomas negotiations had more to do with the structure of the deal than the average annual value. The Saints wanted wiggle room under the NFL salary cap to also negotiate extensions with a number of other promising young players whose contracts will expire in coming years, such as running back Alvin Kamara and top cornerback Marshon Lattimore.

“We’re going to do a deal that we feel works for us regardless of what other teams may or may not do,” Saints’ general manager Mickey Loomis said last week, when Thomas failed to report for camp. “I understand (Thomas’) thinking. He wants to be paid the value that he perceives himself.”

Thomas plays in an offense that was among the NFL’s best long before he arrived. Run by record-setting quarterback Drew Brees and designed by coach Sean Payton, the Saints’ offense has been one of the NFL’s most productive for nearly a decade and a half.

Brees has overwhelmingly thrown Thomas’ way in recent seasons.

Thomas has eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving in each of his first three seasons since New Orleans made him a second-round draft choice out of Ohio State.

BUFFALO BILLS

McCoy pays officer $55,000 in 2016 nightclub fight

PHILADELPHIA

Former Philadelphia Eagles running back LeSean McCoy — now with the Buffalo Bills — has paid $55,000 to a Philadelphia police officer following an arbitrator’s ruling that the player and another man injured the officer during a nightclub brawl more than three years ago.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that the arbitrator’s ruling last month also ordered that a former college teammate of McCoy’s pay $55,000.

Authorities said a fight over a champagne bottle at Recess Lounge in February 2016 led to one officer being punched and kicked, and he was left with a broken nose, broken ribs and other injuries. City and state prosecutors filed no charges.

An attorney representing the defendants said McCoy “paid his portion, and it’s behind him, and we’re trying to keep it that way.” McCoy was unavailable for comment as he was excused from practice at the Bills training camp on Wednesday for what coach Sean McDermott called a personal reason.

CAROLINA PANTHERS

Tepper wants to build retractable roof stadium in Charlotte

SPARTANBURG, S.C.

Carolina Panthers billionaire owner David Tepper says his goal is to build a retractable roof stadium in Charlotte, N.C., within the next 10 years in an effort to attract major sporting events to the state, including the NCAA men’s basketball Final Four.

Speaking Wednesday at Panthers training camp, Tepper says “it’s not idle chatter, it’s something I would like to see done.”

Tepper has been an active owner since purchasing the Panthers last summer.

He’s in the midst of trying to land a Major League Soccer expansion team, has built a practice bubble in Charlotte and will be building what he called a “world class” practice facility across the border in Rock Hill, S.C. Upon completion in 2022, the facility will host Panthers headquarters, training camp and in-season practices.

WASHINGTON REDSKINS

OL Penn, Thornton joined depleted unit

RICHMOND, Va.

Donald Penn reached out to good friend Trent Williams before deciding to sign with the Washington Redskins.

“We had a good conversation,” Penn said. “We’re on the same page.”

Penn said he chose Washington over other teams for the chance to start at left tackle. Given that interest and his friendship with Williams, bringing in Penn looks like the strongest sign yet that the Redskins’ regular starting left tackle’s holdout won’t be ending any time soon.

The 36-year-old veteran jumped right into practice Wednesday and could soon hold down Williams’ old spot.

“I’ve got a whole bunch in my tank,” Penn said. “I’m back at a comfortable position where I feel like I can strive and be great at and get back to my old self.”

If Williams stays home or is traded, the Redskins need that from Penn, a three-time Pro Bowl selection going into his 14th season. His 178 games of NFL experience with the Oakland Raiders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers gives Washington’s coaching staff confidence he can step in to a prominent role quickly once he gets up to speed with the system.

“It’ll take him about 30 minutes, probably,” coach Jay Gruden said. “He’s a bright guy. He played with the Raiders last year, obviously for my brother, so he’ll have some familiarity with some of the schemes. It won’t take him long at all.”

Penn said he’s open to being the Redskins’ primary backup tackle if Williams returns. If Williams doesn’t, 2018 third-round pick Geron Christian is the favorite for that spot and potentially a long-term fit at left tackle.

The Redskins also have a question mark at left guard, where converted tackle Ereck Flowers and fourth-rounder Wes Martin are competing to start. Along with Penn, Washington signed guard Hugh Thornton, who started 32 games for Indianapolis from 2013-2015 before an ankle injury forced him to take time away from football.

“They told me to show up ready to work, and that’s what I am,” Thornton said. “I’m an offensive lineman at heart, man. All I want to do is work and help the team succeed any way I can.”

Offensive lineman Tyler Catalina was released a day after throwing punches in a fight during practice, and center Casey Dunn was waived injured.

Associated Press