The Facts:
Two New Orleans coaches this week insisted to Len Pasquarelli of The Sports Xchange that, despite the selection of Mark Ingram in the first round two months ago, the team is not shopping Thomas. "He's here," said one coach when asked about some reports that Thomas might now be expendable. "We've seen firsthand that you can't have enough (backs)."
Reported by the Redzone.org
Fantasy Football Diehards Line:
ESPN's Pat Yasinskas speculated last week that Thomas, who missed 10 games in 2010 because of an ankle injury, but was the Saints' leading rusher in 2008 and 2009, might be available. The speculation is understandable. After all, the Saints do have a logjam at tailback, with Thomas, Ingram, Chris Ivory, Julius Jones and Lynell Hamilton, also returning from injury. And that doesn't even account for Reggie Bush, whose future with the club remains uncertain. According to Pasquarelli, Thomas remains attractive to the Saints because, while not a great back, he is very good in the team's tailback-by-committee model, fits nicely into a scheme that is heavy in screen passes, and he's relatively cheap. The four-year extension he signed back in March is worth a modest $2.7 million per year and didn't include a signing bonus. Worth noting: That same deal would make Thomas attractive to potential suitors should the Saints have a change of heart.
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