Seattle Seahawks: 5 burning questions in 2018

3. What’s going on with Earl Thomas?

Earl Thomas is entering the final year of his contract with the Seahawks, which begs the question, why has the perennial Pro-Bowler not been extended yet? At 29 years old, Thomas is at the back end of his prime, but he is still easily one of the best safeties in the game, if not the best. Actually, just a few days ago, Thomas expressed his displeasure with (a lack of) negotiations via his Instagram. Included in his caption, “If you don’t want me let’s make a trade happen…”

Thomas has been a staple in the Seattle secondary since 2010 when he entered the league. His 25 career interceptions ranks seventh among active players. He has also tallied 66 passes defended across his eight seasons. Those marks have earned him six Pro Bowl nominations, which should have been seven had he not broken his leg in 2016.

Six of eight seasons ended with Pro Bowl honors and three ended with First-Team All-Pro nominations, that’s absurd. Thomas is unquestionably one of the best free safeties in the league, and his value to the Legion of Boom was immense. However, the Seahawks are now faced with the difficult dilemma of contract negotiations. As of now, they aren’t getting anywhere with their prized safety.

Thomas will command a hefty price for any team who wishes to trade for him. The Seahawks could flip him for draft picks to continue getting younger, or they could acquire some proven talent. Regardless, the team needs to solve this problem sooner rather than later. A potential hold-out would only weaken the team, but would ultimately hurt Thomas more than the team, especially monetarily. Regardless, the team would do well to lock down arguably their best defensive player.