Earl Thomas wants to be a Seahawk for life (so he’s probably getting traded)
By Dave Daniels
The Legion of Boom is losing a new player every day, but Earl Thomas would love to stay.
The Seattle Seahawks are reshaping their Super Bowl level defense in big ways this offseason. After letting Richard Sherman go to the rival San Francisco 49ers, it appeared that Earl Thomas could head out the door too. Thomas said that he was “going to be rich and happy regardless” of whether the Seahawks trade him or not.
Thomas recently clarified his comments that might have indicated he wouldn’t care about leaving the team.
“Hold on everyone,” he wrote on Twitter. “Let’s not get it confused. I want to be a Seahawk. I want my jersey retired in the ring of honor with the other greats that came before me. I love being in Seattle. The winning culture we have established I want to be part of for life!”
Sherman, Sheldon Richardson, Paul Richardson, Jimmy Graham and Michael Bennett have all been gutted during Seattle’s roster renovation, and it’s unclear how Seattle expects to be a contender without these players.
Thomas is only set to make $8.5 million next season, and so it’s a bit shocking that the Seahawks would want to let go of a player that good at that price.
“When I’m asked tough questions about my future in Seattle I don’t know any other way but to be honest and tell my truth on how I see it,” Thomas said to Pro Football Talk. “Keep in mind when I’m asked ‘What ifs’ I’m always coming from a perspective of a gambling man that’s willing to bet on myself.”
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If you are a betting man like Thomas, then don’t count on the Seahawks as a threat to win the title next season. Russell Wilson is a fine quarterback with a great story, and he might be one of the best scramblers the league has ever seen. But Seattle has only been a contender with him at the helm when their defense has been brilliant. This isn’t Tom Brady we are talking about, and the Seahawks will grow to learn that next year when they get beat by 20 points multiple times.