Earl Thomas Will Continue Holdout, Not Report To Mandatory Minicamp
Earl Thomas has been absent from the voluntary portions of the Seahawks’ offseason program, something not too uncommon for a player of his caliber. Most reporters covering the team have expected Thomas to show up when mandatory minicamp arrived with the potential for fines if Thomas continued to stay away.
But now Thomas has made it clear he will not be reporting until his contract demands are satisfied, announcing the news himself (Twitter link). In the post, Thomas says he will “not be attending the upcoming mini camp or any team activities until my contract situation is resolved.” The team can fine Thomas up to $84,435 if he misses all three days of the minicamp.
There were rumblings this offseason that the Seahawks may look to trade Thomas, with Thomas’ hometown Cowboys a popular rumored destination, but coach Pete Carroll appeared to put that talk to rest in April when he indicated the team was planning on having Thomas for the 2018 season. General manager John Schneider admitted at the time that the team considered trading Thomas, but said that “nothing was remotely close to happening.”
Today’s post by Thomas is sure to revive those trade rumors. Thomas is a Texas-native and it’s long been rumored that he’d like to play in Dallas. Thomas has played for the Seahawks since being taken by them in the first round back in 2010. He’s a five-time All-Pro and one of the best safeties in the league, but the team appears to have some concerns about his age and his health.
Reacting to the news from Thomas, Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times says that the issue isn’t whether the Seahawks have the salary cap space to give Thomas what he wants, but rather “it’s whether they want to give him that kind of a long-term contract at age 30 and beyond. That’s the issue.” (Twitter link). Thomas will turn 30 in May of next year.
Thomas did say in his statement that he wants to “remain a Seahawk” for the rest of his career, but that he feels he’s “earned the right to have this taken care of as soon as possible.” Thomas is currently set to be a free agent at the end of this season. Whatever happens next, it’ll be a situation worth monitoring this summer.
Seahawks Not "Counting" On Kam Chancellor To Play Again
- The Seahawks “don’t appear to be counting” on Kam Chancellor to play this season, according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times. Chancellor has insisted that he wants to play, but Condotta doesn’t think doctors will be able to clear Chancellor from his neck injury. The Seahawks have already lost many pieces of their formerly legendary defense, and it looks like Chancellor will be the next to go, as Condotta notes the Seahawks have already made “aggressive” moves to replace Chancellor at safety.
Seahawks DE Dion Jordan Underwent Knee Surgery
We now have an explanation for Dion Jordan‘s absence from Seahawks OTAs. Coach Pete Carroll told reporters (including Bob Condotta of Seattle Times) that the defensive end recently underwent a minor “cleanup knee surgery.” Jordan’s estimated recovery time is six-to-eight weeks.
Assuming Jordan had the surgery in the past week or so, he’d be returning right in time for the start of preseason football. While the 28-year-old could easily be back for Seattle’s August 9th matchup against the Colts, he might also need some time to get in shape. In the unlikely event that the recovery extends into the regular season, Seattle could turn to a number of fill-ins, including Rasheem Green, Marcus Smith, Branden Jackson, and Quinton Jefferson.
The third-overall pick in 2013, Jordan disappointed during his four-year tenure with the Dolphins. He appeared in 26 games between 2013 and 2014, totaling 46 tackles and three sacks. After being suspended four games in 2014, Jordan earned a season-long ban in 2015. Upon reinstatement, he didn’t play a single snap with Miami in 2016, and he was ultimately released by the team. He caught on with the Seahawks this past year, compiling 18 tackles and four sacks in five games. Jordan signed his RFA tender back in April.
While Jordan will be out for OTAs, it sounds like three veterans are set to return next week. Carroll told reporters that safety Earl Thomas, cornerback Byron Maxwell and defensive end Frank Clark are expected to be at mandatory mini-camp (via Condotta on Twitter).
Seahakws Could Keep Five Running Backs?
- The Seahawks currently have a crowded running backs room full of well-known names. First round rookie Rashaad Penny seems like the only lock to make the team. Although it’s been speculated that one or more could be cut, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times thinks all five of Penny, Chris Carson, Mike Davis, C.J. Prosise, and J.D. McKissic will make the team.
No Contract Talks Between Seahawks, Frank Clark
While Seahawks defensive end Frank Clark continues to skip OTAs, it doesn’t look like he’ll be getting the contract extension he’s hoping for anytime soon. The Seahawks “have not had any substantive discussions with Clark and his representatives yet and it’s possible they are willing to play this one out a little bit” according to Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times.
Clark has stayed away from the voluntary portions of the team’s offseason program while he angles for a new deal. He’s currently heading into the final year of his rookie contract and is slated to make just over $900K. After being taken with the 63rd overall pick in 2015, Clark has put up solid numbers each of the past two seasons. He had 10 sacks and two forced fumbles in 2016 and followed it up with nine sacks and two forced fumbles in 2017.
While Clark’s production has been very good, Condotta points out that a lot of it might have been due to Clark lining up alongside fellow edge rushers Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril who would take a lot of the offensive line’s attention away. With Bennett and Avril both no longer with the team, Condotta says “The Seahawks might want to see how he handles being the main man on a re-tooled defensive line before committing” to him longterm.
Despite Clark making it clear he wants a new contract and Condotta’s reporting that the Seahawks haven’t even reached out to his representatives, Condotta says “the expectation is Clark will show up for mandatory mini-camp.” After a tumultuous offseason in which veterans like Richard Sherman, Bennett, and Avril were all let go in one form or another, the Seahawks are suddenly faced with a lack of experience on defense. They’ll be counting heavily on Clark to get to the quarterback in 2018, and despite the lack of talks it won’t be at all surprising if the Seahawks decide to lock him up before the season starts.
Duane Brown Says Nothing New On Extension Talks
- Seahawks offensive lineman Duane Brown told members of the Seattle media, including Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times (on Twitter), that there isn’t an update in regard to a contract extension with the Seahawks. Condotta noted that Brown said he’s confident a deal will get done, though. Brown was acquired by the Seahawks from the Texans in October of last year. The 32-year-old, four-time Pro Bowler is slated to make $9.75MM in 2018, which is the final year of his deal.
Poll: Which NFC West Team Had The Best Offseason?
A few days ago we asked you which AFC West team had the best offseason. Perhaps the only division which had a busier offseason than the AFC West was the NFC West. The NFC West is quickly becoming one of the most exciting divisions in football, with a pair of young innovative coaches and several franchise quarterbacks. Each team made moves this spring with lofty ambitions in mind, but only one will reign supreme this time next year.
The Cardinals probably had the most eventful offseason of all NFC West teams. They have a new head coach and totally remade their quarterback room from last year after the retirement of Carson Palmer and free agency departures of Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert left them without any quarterbacks under contract. First they signed Sam Bradford, and weeks later made a splash in the draft, trading up to take Josh Rosen with the 10th overall pick. They also added Mike Glennon after he was cut by the Bears. Bradford will likely begin the season as the starter, but with his lengthy injury history, it’s very possible Rosen sees the field early. They cut longtime staple of their defense Tyrann Mathieu and hired Steve Wilks to replace the retiring Bruce Arians as head coach. They brought in Andre Smith and Justin Pugh to help improve last year’s dreadful offensive line, and signed Brice Butler away from the Cowboys as an extra pass-catcher behind Larry Fitzgerald. They’re being cast as the underdogs of the division, but have enough talent on paper to make some noise.
The Seahawks officially dismantled the once vaunted ‘Legion of Boom’, cutting one former staple in Richard Sherman and trading another in Michael Bennett. In a bid to get younger, the Seahawks have moved on from several longtime veterans this offseason. They made what many called the surprise move of the draft by taking running back Rashaad Penny in the first round. The Seahawks’ running game has been abysmal since Marshawn Lynch left, so it makes sense they reached for a running back early. They signed wide receiver Jaron Brown away from the Cardinals, but overall weren’t too active in free agency. The story of the Seahawks’ offseason was definitely more about what they subtracted rather than what they added. Last year snapped a streak of five consecutive seasons of reaching the playoffs, and the Seahawks will face a much tougher path back to the postseason than they have in recent years. With the NFC West set to be the best it’s been in a long time, the Seahawks will need some heroics from Russell Wilson to regain their dominance division.
The Rams made the biggest acquisitions of any team in the NFC West. After coach Sean McVay led the team to an 11-5 record and division title in his first year, he’ll have even more pieces to work with in year two. General manager Les Snead was aggressive in the trade market, acquiring wide receiver Brandin Cooks and All-Pro cornerbacks Marcus Peters and Aqib Talib in exchange for draft picks. The Rams also signed Ndamukong Suh after he was let go by the Dolphins. Due to all the trades, the Rams didn’t have many draft picks, but they still added a ton of talent to the team. They did lose cornerback Trumaine Johnson, who signed with the Jets, but the additions of Peters and Talib should more than make up for that. If quarterback Jared Goff can take a leap next year with a full offseason to digest McVay’s complicated playbook, the Rams should be able to repeat as division champs.
The 49ers were maybe the most quiet NFC West team this offseason. After winning five straight games to end the season once Jimmy Garoppolo became the team’s starting quarterback, the 49ers opted to mostly stay put. They did sign center Weston Richburg and Sherman after he was cut by the Seahawks, but didn’t do all that much in terms of adding pieces. They drafted offensive tackle Mike McGlinchey with the ninth overall pick to help keep Garoppolo upright for years to come. 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan is confident that he’s found his guy in Garoppolo, and the 49ers should be able to build on last season’s late success and turn it into a playoff birth in 2018.
Which team do you think had the best offseason in the NFC West? Vote in PFR’s poll below and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section!
Which NFC West team had the best offseason?
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Rams 54% (611)
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49ers 23% (260)
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Cardinals 12% (131)
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Seahawks 11% (123)
Total votes: 1,125
Brandon Marshall: “I Didn’t Have A Ton Of Options”
Brandon Marshall finally landed a contract for the 2018 season earlier this week, inking a one-year pact with the Seahawks. But Marshall himself admits there weren’t many suitors for his services during the free agent period.
“I didn’t have a ton of options,” Marshall said Wednesday, according to Brady Henderson of ESPN.com. “I think the sentiment around the league is that I’m done, and I get it. Rightfully so. When you get on the other side of 30 and your production slips and you have a big injury, people just count you out. So it was an interesting process. It was a humbling process, to say the least.
There were some really tough days that I had to push through, mentally and physically, so for this to be an opportunity and come to [fruition], you can’t ask for a better situation. You’ve got probably a top-three quarterback, you’ve got one the best franchises, you’ve got a young nucleus, guys that are hungry and ready to compete.”
It’s perhaps unsurprising Marshall had to wait until late May to find a new contract after being released by the Giants in April. Not only is Marshall entering his age-34 campaign, but he hasn’t been productive since the 2015 season, when he posted 109 receptions, 1,502 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns for the Jets. Injuries have limited his effectiveness and overall production, and Marshall appeared in only five games a year ago before going on injured reserve with a ankle injury.
The details of Marshall’s contract with Seattle also reinforce the lack of interest in the veteran wideout. Marshall received just $90K in guarantees, but his new deal is not a minimum salary benefit pact because it contains incentives. While Marshall can collect a maximum salary of $2.155MM in 2018, he’d have to top 70 receptions, 800 receiving yards, and seven touchdowns to do so.
Those numbers aren’t completely out of the question: if Marshall has anything left, he could quickly vault up a Seahawks wide receiver depth chart that doesn’t offer much competition. Doug Baldwin will assume his usual role with heavy usage in the slot, but Marshall could overtake the likes of Tyler Lockett, Jaron Brown, and Amara Darboh, among others.
Details On Brandon Marshall’s Contract
The Seahawks don’t have much to lose in their contract with wide receiver Brandon Marshall. The veteran’s $90K signing bonus represents the only guaranteed portion of his one-year deal, according to ESPN.com’s Field Yates (on Twitter).
The modest signing bonus means that the Seahawks can bail on the deal between now and September if Marshall does not play up to par in practice. If he does make the team, he’s in line for just $1.015MM in base pay. After that, he can earn another $1MM through incentives to bring the value of his deal as high as $2.155MM. Here’s the complete breakdown of those bonuses, courtesy of Yates:
- 40-49 receptions: $75K
- 50-59 receptions: $125K
- 60-69 receptions: $250K
- 70+ receptions: $350K
- 500-599 receiving yards: $75K
- 600-699 yards: $125K
- 700-799 receiving yards: $250K
- 800+receiving yards: $350K
- 7+ receiving touchdowns: $350K
Assuming all goes well in Seattle over the next three months and change, a decent chunk of Marshall’s incentives should be attainable. Even in a down year with the Jets in 2016, Marshall still had 59 catches for 788 yards and three touchdowns. If he were to reprise that stat line, the 34-year-old would earn $375K of the potential ~$1MM payout. Add another reception to that total and Marshall is looking at $500K, roughly half of his potential bonus earnings.
Of course, Marshall didn’t come close to those numbers last year as an early season injury sidelined him for all but five games in 2017. He’ll do his best to get back to his 2015 output when he had 109 catches for 1,502 yards and 14 touchdowns – numbers that would allow him to max out his Seahawks deal and, more importantly, position him for a better deal in 2019, should he choose to continue playing in his age-35 season. In December, Marshall indicated that he would like to play through the ’19 season.
If Marshall is healthy, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him positioned as the team’s No. 2 wide receiver behind Doug Baldwin. Tyler Lockett, free agent addition Jaron Brown, and speedy trade acquisition Marcus Johnson figure to round out Seattle’s top five. Until last year’s injury-shortened season, Marshall averaged 164 targets per 16 games as an NFL starter.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/30/18
Today’s minor moves:
Dallas Cowboys
- Signed: DT Antwaun Woods, WR Mekale McKay
- Waived: G Jay Robertson, DT DeQuinton Osborne
Green Bay Packers
- Waived: T/G Jacob Alsadek
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Signed: TE Scott Orndoff
- Waived/injured: TE Zach Conque
Seattle Seahawks
- Waived: FB Marcus Martin
Washington Redskins
- Signed: TE Garrett Hudson
- Waived: WR De’Mornay Pierson-El