Earl Thomas - Pro Football Rumors

Extra Points: Jets, Bowles, Seahawks, Thomas, Saints, Crawley, Raiders, Hall

September 21st, 2018 at 7:24pm CST by Andrew Ortenberg

Not too long ago, the Jets were riding high off their Week 1 Monday Night Football win over the Lions as they kicked off the Sam Darnold era and all was well in New York. Now things have gone south quickly, as the team has dropped two straight games to the Dolphins and Browns. And although coach Todd Bowles recently landed a contract extension that locks him up through the 2020 season, his job isn’t necessarily safe writes Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

While Vacchiano cautions that these first couple games wont determine Bowles’ future, he writes that “the feeling around the Jets is still that the 54-year-old Bowles isn’t really that safe at all.” It’s an interesting development considering Bowles was widely praised last season for leading the team to a surprise 5-11 record. Before last season, Bowles had been thought to be on one of the hottest seats in the entire league. It will be interesting to watch play out, but it looks like Bowles might not be the coach of the future in New York.

Here’s more from around the league:

Earl Thomas didn’t practice for the Seahawks today, and coach Pete Carroll was extremely vague about why according to Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times. Carroll said it wasn’t an injury and was something the team was dealing with, but wouldn’t commit to Thomas playing this Sunday. This immediately revived trade rumors that have surrounded Thomas all year, but it doesn’t seem like he’ll be on the move at this point. The team that was most-linked to Thomas this offseason, the Cowboys, aren’t pursuing him at the moment as EVP Stephen Jones said the team was “not exchanging any calls or any information at this time” according to Jon Machota of Dallas News (Twitter link). It’s a strange situation, and while it doesn’t seem like he’ll be traded, Condotta writes “no one will say” why he isn’t practicing.
The Saints’ defense, particularly their secondary, has struggled mightily this year. A large part of the problem has been cornerback Ken Crawley, who has now been benched ahead of the team’s Week 3 matchup with the Falcons according to Josh Katzenstein of NOLA.com (Twitter link). Fourth-year player P.J. Williams will move into the lineup in his place.
Raiders cornerback Leon Hall was hospitalized after the team’s Week 2 game against the Broncos according to Michael Gehlken of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Hall has a sickle cell trait issue that can flare up at altitude. He’s expected to play for this team this Sunday in Miami.

Latest On Earl Thomas, Seahawks

September 9th, 2018 at 9:47pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Earl Thomas might actually be envisioning a future in Seattle. After previously requesting a new contract or a trade, the All-Pro safety told reporters that he’d like to stay in Seattle “if they want me.”

The 29-year-old also provided some insight into why he ultimately ended his hold out (hint: it was money).

“I talked to my agent,” Thomas said (via Charean Williams of ProFootballTalk.com). “We understood that I had a lot of money on the line. I just couldn’t throw it away. So basically I decided to come back. I’m glad I did.”

A free agent at the end of the season, it’s uncertain if Thomas will last the season in Seattle. The Seahawks are seemingly rebuilding, meaning it could make more sense to get a future asset for their aging defensive back. The Cowboys have continually been connected to the safety, although the Seahawks recently rejected an offer of a second-round pick.

A full-time component of the Seahawks’ secondary from 2010-17, and the Legion of Boom’s last remaining bastion, Thomas began the final season of his four-year, $40MM contract on the right foot. Despite missing the entire preseason, Thomas ended up playing 65 snaps today, compiling five tackles, two passes defended, and an interception.

“I felt good,” Thomas said. “I felt like my training with my brother and my team back home [in Texas] has been great, has been right on it. The only thing right now is my big toe hurts. My feet hurt. That’s about it.”

Seahawks To Activate, Start Earl Thomas

September 8th, 2018 at 2:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Earl Thomas‘ begrudging return to the Seahawks will mean getting his job back immediately. The Seahawks are set to activate their All-Pro safety and start him against the Broncos on Sunday, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

A full-time component of the Seahawks’ secondary from 2010-17, and the Legion of Boom’s last remaining bastion, Thomas will begin the final season of his four-year, $40MM contract. He doesn’t appear too happy about that, after waging a holdout that lasted into September, but his return greatly improves Seattle’s defense.

Despite Russell Wilson‘s presence, the Seahawks are viewed as a rebuilding team after gutting their defense this offseason. Thomas and Bobby Wagner will be all that’s left from Seattle’s Super Bowl defenses, with K.J. Wright set to miss Week 1, but that’s a good place to start for a defense.

The Seahawks have not lost to the Broncos in the Wilson era, defeating them in Super Bowl XLVIII and winning an overtime game in Seattle in September 2014. They are three-point underdogs in Denver this week. Thomas’ return obviously helps the team’s chances of exiting the Mountain Time Zone 1-0.

During Thomas’ absence, Tedric Thompson stepped in as a starter alongside Bradley McDougald. Sunday’s expected arrangement will be a Thomas-McDougald starting back line. After breaking his leg in 2016, Thomas returned last season and reclaimed his position as one of the NFL’s best safeties. He earned another Pro Bowl nod, made two interceptions, returned one of those for a touchdown and made 88 tackles.

While the 29-year-old defender could still be on the trade block, given the unlikelihood he’ll be part of the 2019 Seahawks and the Cowboys’ enhanced trade offer, he’s moving forward with his current team for the time being.

Cowboys View Second-Rounder As Max Earl Thomas Offer

September 5th, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Sam Robinson

By offering the Seahawks a second-round pick, Cowboys tried again recently to land one of this era’s best safeties. Again, they were rebuffed.

The Cowboys are not planning to increase their Earl Thomas offer beyond a second-rounder, David Moore of the Dallas Morning News reports. However, Moore adds that the Cowboys’ interest in Thomas “remains strong.”

But that interest only goes so far. Moore notes the Cowboys are comfortable enough with their current situation at safety to cap their Thomas offer at a second-round pick. Judging by the offer increase, it seems they’re not that comfortable with what they have on their back line.

Dallas has Jeff Heath and Xavier Woods in place as first-stringers under optimal circumstances, but Woods remains out due to injury. The team claimed Ibraheim Campbell off waivers from the Texans over the weekend as well, but Kavon Frazier is expected to start alongside Heath in Week 1.

Thomas intends to report to the Seahawks, but he’s also unhappy with the team. This situation appears headed for a divorce, and the Cowboys are willing to wait, presumably to see if the Seahawks’ price drops as the trade deadline nears. The Cowboys upped their offer to a second-round pick last week, after their max proposal was a third-rounder in April.

So, Thomas-to-Dallas remains a possibility, just one that’s on the back-burner right now.

Earl Thomas To Report To Seahawks

September 5th, 2018 at 11:19am CST by Sam Robinson

Earl Thomas looks to be budging in his offseason-long holdout. The three-time first-team All-Pro safety intends to report to the Seahawks on Wednesday, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter).

This marks a big morning for Thomas news, with the Cowboys having reportedly upped their offer for the 29-year-old defender. They’re now willing to part with a second-round pick after refusing to do so on draft weekend, but the Seahawks refused to make a deal. It also appears the Cowboys have bowed out of the talks after making that offer, with Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reporting (via Twitter) this prompted Thomas to report.

Seattle still wants a first-round pick for Thomas, Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (on Twitter). Considering the Cowboys wouldn’t part with their 2018 second-rounder, it’s understandable they would balk at this price.

The Seahawks are also planning to wipe out the extensive fines (up to $1.6MM) Thomas has incurred during his holdout, Rapoport reports (on Twitter). That’s a notable step in building a bridge for a reunion between the parties, but for a player who formed an extension-or-trade stance, all’s not well between the top Legion of Boom cog and the Seahawks.

Thomas explained as much on an Instagram post.

“I worked my whole life for this….. I’ve never let me teammates, city or fans down as long as I’ve lived and don’t plan on starting this weekend,” Thomas wrote in his latest IG post. “With that being said, the disrespect has been well noted and will not be forgotten. Father Time may have an undefeated record but best believe I plan on taking him into triple overtime when it comes to my career.”

For now, Thomas plans to play on the final year of his 2014-constructed contract. It calls for an $8.5MM base salary. No new agreement is in place, ESPN’s Dan Graziano tweets.

This represents big news for a Seahawks team that lost so much of its defensive core this offseason and stands to be without K.J. Wright in its opener against the Broncos. Thomas will slide in back at his free safety spot, likely kicking Bradley McDougald back to the strong safety role he assumed from Kam Chancellor. Thomas has not worked with his teammates since Week 17 of last season.

While the Seahawks as of now are getting back a brooding Thomas, who may well not factor into the team’s post-2018 future, they are undoubtedly much better because of his return. Thomas returned after breaking his leg in 2016 to play in 14 Seattle games last season. He made the Pro Bowl, his sixth, and finished the year as Pro Football Focus’ No. 5 safety.

Cowboys Increased Offer For Earl Thomas

September 5th, 2018 at 10:49am CST by Andrew Ortenberg

It was reported recently that the Cowboys were offering only a third round pick for All-Pro safety Earl Thomas and weren’t budging. Now the Cowboys have apparently upped their offer a second round pick, but the Seahawks still want more according to Adam Schefter of ESPN (Twitter link).

Thomas, one of the last remaining pieces of the Seahawks’ once legendary defense, has held out all offseason in search of a new contract. Seattle has made it clear they have no intentions of giving him one, leading to the current stalemate with no end in sight.

A second round pick is a hefty offer for a player heading into the final year of his deal, so it’s somewhat surprising the Seahawks turned it down, especially considering a second round pick had previously been said to be their asking price. It’s not clear what Seattle’s endgame is here, since Thomas has no plans of reporting to the team anytime soon and appears certain to miss regular season games.

The Cowboys have the potential to have the best defense the team has fielded in years, but could use some help in the secondary. Acquiring Thomas would go a long way toward solidifying their defense as a top unit, so it makes sense why they’re being aggressive here. With the season just days away, this situation could develop further at any moment. Stay tuned.

Seahawks Not Ready To Trade Earl Thomas

September 1st, 2018 at 1:33pm CST by Sam Robinson

Based on the offers the Seahawks so far for Earl Thomas, the Seahawks are planning to hold onto their disgruntled All-Pro safety, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

The only known offer has come from the Cowboys, who did not want to trade a second-round pick for the 29-year-old safety, but it’s obviously possible other proposals have emerged over the past several months. But Thomas remains a Seahawk and has not shown any interest in returning unless given a contract extension or shipped out of Seattle via trade.

A eight-year veteran, Thomas has skipped Seattle’s offseason activities. The Seahawks have slid Bradley McDougald to Thomas’ free safety spot. One season remains on Thomas’ four-year, $40MM deal.

Multiple Teams Expressing Interest In Earl Thomas

August 31st, 2018 at 8:25pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Multiple teams have contacted the Seahawks to express interest in safety Earl Thomas, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).

While the identity of the clubs interested in Thomas remains unknown at this point, it’s an interesting development in the Thomas sage. Thus far, only the Cowboys are known to have had talks regarding a Thomas trade, so the mere fact that other teams are now in the mix could potentially give Seattle more leverage in negotiations.

Thomas, of course, is seeking a contract extension as he enters the final season of his pact. But the Seahawks have shown no willingness to discuss a new accord, and Pelissero similarly reports the two sides are still at a stalemate.

Thomas is set to earn a base salary of $8.5MM and count for $10.4MM on Seattle’s salary cap. That salary is courtesy of a four-year, $40MM extension which Thomas signed in 2014, a deal which now makes him the NFL’s sixth-highest-paid safety in terms of annual value.

Cowboys Searching For O-Line, Safety Help

August 29th, 2018 at 6:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The trade market’s heating up as teams configure their 53-man rosters, and one team isn’t making it a secret it’s seeking upgrades.

Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones said Wednesday the team is exploring additions to bolster their safety and offensive line spots. Specifically, Jones said the Cowboys want to fortify their interior offensive front, which suffered a critical setback when Travis Frederick was diagnosed with Guillain-Barre disease. Joe Looney resides as the Dallas starting center now, and the Cowboys either want depth behind him or competition.

“We feel good about Joe,” Jones said, via Kate Hairopoulos of the Dallas Morning News. “I think we do, I think the personnel group does. The coaches do. And more importantly I think Dak [Prescott] really feels good working with him. At the same time we’re not naive. We’re certainly looking for interior offensive linemen as well as the safety position. It’s no secret. If we can find something that makes sense, we want to improve our football team.”

Frederick is a short-term IR candidate to open the season, but that might not be necessary. The Cowboys are optimistic the All-Pro snapper may recover in weeks rather than months.

The Cowboys already added a safety to their roster in former Kris Richard Seahawks pupil Jeron Johnson, but he’s only played four games since the 2015 season and is in Dallas for depth purposes. Xavier Woods remains out, as does his replacement, Kavon Frazier. However, the Cowboys are hopeful Frazier will be sufficiently recovered from his shoulder malady to play in Week 1.

As for the obvious safety upgrade, Jones said the Cowboys have not discussed Earl Thomas with the Seahawks “lately.” Thomas remains a holdout, and nothing of note’s transpired regarding his Seattle situation in weeks.

Extra Points: Brissett, Hackenberg, Cowboys, Seahawks, Bears

August 20th, 2018 at 9:50pm CST by Ben Levine

We heard yesterday that the Colts‘ had rejected the Seahawks offer of a second-round pick for quarterback Jacoby Brissett. However, Colts general manager Chris Ballard is saying the front office never talked trade with Seattle. The executive told ESPN’s Booger McFarland that the two sides had never discussed a trade for the 24-year-old (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com).

We learned back in March that the Colts had rejected a pair of trade offers for Brissett, who they acquired from the Patriots last year. Colts owner Jim Irsay recently said that his club wouldn’t trade Brissett for a first-round pick, so it sounds like the organization is content with the quarterback as their potential longterm backup to Andrew Luck. Brissett was solid as a starter last season, compiling 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also rushed for an additional 260 yards and four scores.

Let’s take a look at some more notes from around the NFL…

After being released by the Raiders and before joining the Eagles, we had heard quarterback Christian Hackenberg had worked out with the Patriots. Well, it sounds like another team expressed interest in the former second-rounder, as Zach Berman of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets that Hackenberg had worked out for the Texans. Houston’s interest in the quarterback could indicate that the team isn’t happy with the current backups to Deshaun Watson, a grouping that includes Brandon Weeden and Joe Webb.
The Cowboys added one safety today when they signed Dominick Sanders. However, it sounds like the team is still seeking some reinforcement at the position, as Calvin Watkins of The Athletic tweets that the team will audition Jeron Johnson tomorrow. The former undrafted free agent out of Boise State has managed to appear in 64 games since entering the league in 2011, but he’s only appeared in four games over the past two years. His best season came in 2015 with the Redskins, when he compiled 27 tackles.
While the Cowboys continue to seek safety help, there apparently hasn’t been any progress with the Seahawks in regards to an Earl Thomas trade. Watkins tweets that “nothing new is happening” with Seattle, meaning there may not be an end in sight when it comes to the ongoing Thomas saga. The veteran Pro Bowler has sat out the first part of the preseason, and he’s requested a new contract or a trade.
The Bears announced (via Twitter) that cornerback Deiondre’ Hall has been suspended for the first game of the upcoming season for violating the NFL’s Policy and Program for Substances of Abuse. The 2016 fourth-rounder has appeared in 10 games through two seasons with Chicago, collecting nine tackles, three passes defended, and one interception. He was already on the roster bubble for the Bears, and his suspension might improve Doran Grant or Jonathon Mincy‘s chances of making the roster.