The Seattle Seahawks have traded Michael Bennett to the Philadelphia Eagles, and are close to releasing (or trading) Richard Sherman, but the team appears to be far from being done cutting ties with key defensive figures. According to a report by Mike Silver of NFL Media, the Seahawks are keeping their ears open for teams looking to trade Earl Thomas.
I am also told the Seahawks will listen to trade offers for Earl Thomas. They'd obviously be seeking a lot in return. @AroundTheNFL @nflnetwork @NFLTotalAccess
— Michael Silver (@MikeSilver) March 8, 2018
This is a sudden change of tune for the Seahawks, who were previously reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Media as having plans of keeping the free safety in Seattle.
From @NFLTotalAccess: The #Seahawks are likely to lose TE Jimmy Graham to free agency, are keeping S Earl Thomas for 2018 and beyond and are trying to move Michael Bennett. pic.twitter.com/FNZjkdJQ1Y
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 6, 2018
But as Silver noted, it would take a significant return for the Seahawks to ship Earl Thomas. Thomas is due to be paid $8.5 million this year, the last of the four-year extension deal worth $40 million he signed with the Seahawks back in 2014. Releasing Thomas would open up a sizable space in the Seahawks’ cap situation, but the Seahawks do not seem to be as interested in doing that as giving away the former Texas Longhorn for some assets.
This apparent lukewarm relationship between the Seahawks’ front office and Thomas could have also a lot to do with the latter’s open request to Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett at the end of a Christmas Eve game last year to get him. That’s not to mention that Thomas threatened to hold out if the Seahawks failed to come up with a long-term offer.
Thomas is one of the best safeties in the league. He has been to six Pro Bowls and has been named to the First-Team All-Pro a total of three times. Last season, he played 14 games and recorded 56 tackles, two interceptions, and a forced fumble.
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