The impasse between Earl Thomas and the Seahawks over his contract has gotten worse, and on Sunday morning the defensive back announced on Twitter that he was going to hold out.
Earl Thomas announces he’s holding out until Seahawks give him a new contract
The leader of the Seattle defense won’t be participating in team activities.
Photo by Otto Greule Jr /Getty Images
James Dator has been covering a wide range of sports for SB Nation for over a decade, with a special focus on the NFL.
Thomas is entering the final year of a four-year, $40 million contract he signed in 2015 — and it’s led to a difficult position for both sides. The Seahawks are in dire need of Thomas to anchor their defense, especially following the release of Richard Sherman and trade of Michael Bennett. However, Thomas is seeking one more long-term contract, and he’ll be 30 before the season begins. Nobody can blame the team for not thinking about their future and the danger of tying up too much cap space in an aging safety, should his level of play diminish in upcoming years.
Conversely, Thomas knows he’s irreplaceable to the team right now — and is trying to ensure he gets one last major payday. This is his best shot, especially coming off a strong season that saw Thomas named to his sixth Pro Bowl, and being named a second-team All-Pro.
In April the sides weren’t on the same page, but the Seahawks were under the impression there would be no holdout from Thomas.
The Seahawks have insisted they’re not rebuilding following a 9-7 season that saw them miss the playoffs, instead insinuating that they’re just evaluating their position and building around the team’s considerable talent. It’s a true statement — the team has plenty of stars on both sides of the ball — but Thomas has been the Seahawks’ defensive pillar for years, and the defense is markedly worse when he’s not on the field.
Time will tell, but this is going to be a pivotal moment in the Seahawks’ 2018-19 season, and we haven’t even reached training camp yet.
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