Earl Thomas is playing his trump card with the Seahawks: Staying home
The time has come for the Seattle Seahawks to make a decision. Earl Thomas will not be coming to training camp unless he gets a new deal.
The Legion of Boom may be disintegrating right before our very eyes. Kam Chancellor is likely retiring due to injury and now Earl Thomas is sitting out of training camp in hopes of getting a new deal with the Seahawks. Time will tell whether or not this nuclear measure pays off for the talented safety.
There’s no real question that Thomas is outperforming his current deal. 2018 is the last year of his four-year, $40 million deal with Seattle. That’s well below the current market value for a Pro Bowl caliber safety. His current level of play really isn’t the issue, though. The Seahawks only want to talk about a contract that will pay Thomas for his future contributions to the team.
At the age of 29, it’s very likely Thomas’ performance is going to start to dip when he gets on the wrong side of 30. The talented safety and his representatives don’t want to hear that. They want to negotiate with the Seahawks as if Thomas will continue to be the NFL’s top safety for the foreseeable future. That is, obviously, unrealistic.
#Seahawks star S Earl Thomas will not be reporting to training camp, source says, The 6-time Pro Bowler is entering the last year of his 4-yr extension signed in ‘14 & his play has clearly earned a new deal. Those in Seattle view him as the centerpiece of that D. He’ll be at home
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2018
Nonetheless, it’s obvious that Thomas has reached the end of his rope with the team. His decision to stay away from training camp is the last tactic he has to employ to earn a new contract. There’s no going back from this line of action. The Seahawks will either give in to Thomas’ demands or they will move him in a trade. The chances of both sides finding a middle ground are exceedingly small.
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At this point, the odds favor Seattle finding a willing taker for Thomas and his future contract. That might be a bitter pill for ardent Seahawk fans to swallow, but the player deserves equal responsibility with the team. This is a potentially messy divorce that probably won’t end with any legitimate winners. Expect the Seahawks and Thomas to part ways soon.