If he died

The Salafis try to stick to the literal meaning of the Qur'aan and Hadiith unless there is evidence from the Qur'aan and Hadiith which warrants that you move away from the literal meaning.

The following Qur'aanic Verse clearly uses the word "died" [maata] for the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam).

Muhammad is not but a messenger. [Other] messengers have passed on before him. So if he was to die or be killed, would you turn back on your heels [to unbelief]? And he who turns back on his heels will never harm Allah at all; but Allah will reward the grateful.

[Qur'aan 3:144 - Translation Sahih International]

Whether the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) died or not is another matter, but to use the word "died" for him (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) cannot entail disrespect as some schools claim because if it does then perhaps they will be bold enough to label Imaam al-Tabari as a disrespectful "gustaakh" as well when he has the following to say.

Or maybe he was just too "Salafi?"

Imaam al-Tabari says:

يعني تعالى ذكره بذلك: وما محمد إلا رسول كبعض رسل الله الذين أرسلهم إلى خلقه، داعيًا إلى الله وإلى طاعته، الذين حين انقضت آجالهم ماتوا وقبضهم الله إليه

يقول جل ثناؤه: فمحمد صلى الله عليه وسلم إنما هو فيما الله به صانعٌ من قبضه إليه عند انقضاء مدة أجله، كسائر رسله إلى خلقه الذين مضوْا قبله وماتوا عند انقضاء مدة آجالهم

[Allaah] means by this Verse that Muhammad is but a Messenger like all the Messengers Allaah sent to His creation calling toward Allaah and His obedience. When their appointed term came to pass they died and Allaah brought them to Him.

[Allaah] says: Thus, Muhammad (sallallaahu alayhi wa sallam) is a part of that which Allaah causes to die when its appointed term has come like all the Messengers [He sent] to His creation who passed before him and died when their appointed term passed.

Tafsir al-Tabari
Volume 7 Page 251