Earl Thomas seems to be making a pretty big statement right now, having missed the first two phases of the Seattle Seahawks’ offseason program. But the All-Pro safety will make an even bigger statement if he misses Phase 3, which includes a mandatory veteran minicamp.
Speaking to this on Sunday, head coach Pete Carroll admitted that he’s not sure where Thomas’ head is at regarding these offseason workouts.
“We’ll find out. We’ve got to communicate. Phase 2 doesn’t look like it’s suiting him right now, so we’ll see, we’ll see what’s happening. Phase 3 is around the corner for us, so we’ll see. We’ve got one more week of Phase 2,” Carroll said, per ESPN’s Brady Henderson. “Earl had a fantastic offseason and I know he knows how to get in shape. Veterans sometimes look at those rules and they see ‘voluntary’ and they see it differently than the other guys, so we’ll see.”
Not so long ago, Carroll made it clear that he expected Thomas to be a part of Seattle’s defense in 2018, saying he “better be” in training camp.
However, Thomas has made no bones about two things that are likely contributing heavily to his current decision to abstain from offseason workouts.
First, he wants a new contract. Thomas is set to enter the final year of his current deal, which doesn’t include much guaranteed money. Secondly, Thomas wants to play for the Dallas Cowboys, either now or in the future. It’s also important to note that Dallas reportedly is still very much interested in bringing Thomas on board, if the price is right in a trade with Seattle.
So, Thomas could be trying to force Seattle’s hand, one way or another — either he gets a new long-term deal with the Seahawks or gets traded to his hometown Cowboys. It’s going to be interesting to see how this all plays out.