An Earl Thomas return to the Seahawks will have to be on his current contract, because the team has no intention of relenting in this standoff. 
The Seahawks have no plans to discuss a new deal with Thomas, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times reports. No negotiations are taking place, either, Condotta hears. Pete Carroll said he has not talked to his top safety this week.
Thomas has been away from the team throughout 2018, and the Seahawks don’t intend to allow him to return free of charge, either.
Unlike the NFC West rival Rams’ decision to waive Aaron Donald’s fines after his unsuccessful holdout concluded last year, the Seahawks do plan to collect fines from Thomas if/once he returns. The Seahawks will attempt to collect approximately $1.2MM from Thomas, Condotta reports.
Thomas said he won’t report to the Seahawks without a new deal, wanting either a trade or an extension. This impasse shows no signs of slowing down. Seattle may still want at least as second-round pick for its three-time All-Pro safety, Condotta notes, with Dallas still being the most likely buyer. The sides talked during the draft but could not strike a deal.
Although, the latest Seattle standoff with a safety hasn’t affected the team like the previous holdout did, per Condotta. Kam Chancellor’s 2015 holdout lasted for two games but occurred when the Seahawks resided as the defending NFC champions. They now appear closer to a rebuild than a Super Bowl run, and Condotta notes the Thomas issue has barely come up during Hawks camp.
Tedric Thompson has replaced Thomas with the Seahawks’ first-stringers, joining Bradley McDougald.
Thomas is football player period. I feel like a 2nd round pick is too high of an asking price though considering he wants a new contract.
You’re right. He’s the best free safety in the NFL. It should be a first rounder based on talent
No, he’s not worth a first rounder on talent. He might have been once upon a time, but pro-sports is for young players. No player, other than a QB, is worth a first round pick when they’re pushing 30. At best Thomas would net them a 3rd or (more likely) a 4th.
That is laughable
Seahawks got burned by Kams extension. Maybe they are gun shy now?
anyone else think that this might make it easier for the cowboys to get him for cheap(er)?
Actually I think the opposite is more likely. The value of unsigned players increases once the season gets underway and teams starting suffering injuries that deplete their positional depth.
Seattle has all the leverage. He signed a contract and now he feels he outplayed its value. Fact is Seattle paid extra when the deal was signed above his value. They paid more at the start because he hadn’t yet fully reached his potential and the fact he exceeded the contract value doesn’t mean the team should be punished as a result and give him more. I think this is the final year of his deal. He should report, play it out and hit free agency and sign a 2-3 year deal at that time. But if I were Seattle I’d franchise him and draft his replacement.
Right now he has until a certain point to report or lose an accrued season and he will be able to take it to that and still have to pay fines as a result of his actions.
And I don’t think the cowboys get him cheaper due to Seattle having taken a hard line. Why take less and get a cap penalty. If they were to do that they may as well just give him a little extra.
Seattle can lose leverage quickly if they encounter a lot of injuries on defense. The article makes a significant point in that the Seahawks are more focused on a reboot than a push at a title. If Thomas were the missing piece that could put them above everyone else they would probably take a different stance but they can procede with a rebuild plan without him (which is apparently what they plan to do).
If he doesn’t like his contact maybe he shouldn’t have signed it? The man should get to work. It’s not the Seahawks fault he signed a contract. They didn’t water board him to get him to sign.
I’m totally sick of this crap from football players.
When the NFL starts giving fully guaranteed contracts you can say that, but for now the NFL teams don’t feel the need to except the downside of contracts, so why should the players?
But that point makes no sense in situations like this. Thomas is holding out because he doesn’t want the money his contract—that he signed—says the Seahawks WILL pay him. If Seattle was saying “We’re going to pay you 75% of what your contract says because it’s not guaranteed”, then that argument makes sense. He’s scheduled to make $8.5M this season, based on his contract. None of it is guaranteed, but the Seahawks seem very willing to pay him that amount. Where does the “non guaranteed contracts” issue come into play in this situation?