TUESDAY: Perhaps this process has hit a snag. Thomas’ Texans visit is on hold, veteran NFL reporter Josina Anderson tweets. It was scheduled for Tuesday. Should Thomas join the Texans, he would have to go through COVID-19 protocols. Delays would obviously stall the 10-year veteran’s 2020 debut. The Cowboys remain a non-factor regarding Thomas, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telgram tweets.
The Texans sent Thomas home prior to the workout, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. The team planned to work out five safeties; none of those auditions have transpired, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. While Thomas has taken an offsite physical, he continues to wait on a team to green-light his 11th season.
MONDAY: The Texans are giving Earl Thomas a look. ESPN’s Field Yates reports (via Twitter) that the veteran safety has a Houston workout scheduled. ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that “his signing this week is more likely than not.”
Following a physical altercation with teammate Chuck Clark at practice, Thomas was released by the Ravens back in August. The three-time first-team All-Pro hasn’t seen much of a market over the past month. While the Cowboys had consistently been connected to the veteran, the team still hasn’t brought him in for an audition. The Falcons were considered a destination because of Thomas’s connection to head coach Dan Quinn, but they’ve already been ruled out.
The Texans were connected to Thomas shortly after his release from the Ravens, and he subsequently picked up an endorsement from quarterback Deshaun Watson on Instagram. However, following the safety’s release from the Ravens, reports indicated that Houston wouldn’t make a run at the veteran. Things have changed a bit, though, as the Texans could use some depth after placing A.J. Moore on the injured reserve (per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero on Twitter). They’re currently rostering only three safeties in Justin Reid, Eric Murray, and Michael Thomas.
It was only a year ago that Thomas inked a four-year, $55MM deal with the Ravens. While he received some criticism for missing team and position meetings, he was still productive on the field. While he struggled a bit to start the 2019 campaign, he improved enough throughout the season to earn his seventh career Pro Bowl appearance. The 31-year-old ultimately finished the campaign having compiled 49 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions, and one forced fumble.
