Kam Chancellor announced yesterday that he’d be hanging up his cleats, but his unofficial retirement likely won’t influence the Seahawks’ talks with Earl Thomas. Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times writes that the loss of Chancellor won’t impact the team’s handling of their disgruntled free safety.
The Thomas saga has been ongoing for the past three months. The six-time Pro Bowler is set to enter the final season of a four-year, $40MM deal, and there were reports that the team was shopping him earlier this offseason. Thomas subsequently sat out the team’s mandatory minicamp in pursuit of a new contract (although he’s expected to be back for training camp). When he first announced his hold out, the 29-year-old said he wasn’t going to attend “any team activities until my contract situation is resolved.”
The 29-year-old is seeking money that’d approach Eric Berry‘s deal ($13MM average annual salary), but Condotta notes that the organization has reason to be wary of this kind of contract. For starters, the team just saw Chancellor retire before playing a single year of his new extension (thus negatively impacting the team’s cap situation). The team also shipped off Michael Bennett before he played a year on his new deal. Condotta believes the team isn’t looking to put themselves in a similar predicament.
The 2010 first-round pick has spent his entire career with the Seahawks, earning three All-Pro first-team nods during his tenure. After being limited to 11 games in 2016, Thomas bounced back in 2017. In 14 games, the safety finished with 56 tackles, six passes defended, and a pair of interceptions. If the defensive back’s hold out was to last through the start of the regular season, the team could turn to Mo Alexander, Delano Hill, Akeem King, and Tedric Thompson to start alongside Bradley McDougald.
Get er’ done. Sign the bloody man
Where are you from
Cowboys please trade for him
So he’s mad that he signed the 4 year/$40M deal and he’s being held to the agreement?
It’s not uncommon for players to renegotiate in the final year of their deal. You can’t have an ounce of fear or worry or hesitation playing FS. And in the back of his mind, he knows that an injury might kill his ability to get a new contract.
So is he going to pull-up on some plays? Will be go hard in practice? Will he be as keen to slam into the box to stop the run?
It’s not just about playing out a contract.
Doesn’t matter Seahawks’ window is closed.