Earl Thomas: “I know I’m hot” in response to free agency.

[vin.couve12]

I'll also add, If we had McDougal last year, he wouldn't replace Earl but our defense would have been MUCH better off

There's zero reason for Earl to be arrogant on this. Some of the key members of this team have taken team friendly deals, even when they deserved or could have gotten higher

Earl may be great but guess what? He needs Bobby Wagner to be the QB of the defense and shut down plays in its tracks. He needs Richard Sherman to shut down one half of the field. And he needs a great strong safety like Bam Bam Kam to drop the hammer. THAT is how we became successful. That is why Earl has a ring on his finger and has many playoff appearances to show for it. They all need each other. What does our defense look like without Sherman, Kam, or a pass rush? Exactly. No matter what Earl does, we're pretty much giving up 30 points a game.

Earl can go to another team, get paid top dollar, be great. Will he have a Sherman or BWagz to depend on? Will he have a QB to win games? And a fan base that are his die hard supporters? Can you not argue that Earl, Sherm, BWagz, and Kam command top dollar BECAUSE of how they help each other? Would Earl get paid as much or be seen as great if he was surrounded by average talent?

Earl can go to another team and I'll support his decision. He deserves top dollar. But let's not act as if being on the Seahawks hasn't also boosted his future HOF career

People are delusional he is a top 5 safety period and enables our idiotic scheme. He doesn't need a strong safety to drop the hammer if he doesn't have to cover 2/3rds of the field Earl can lay the wood just fine. As for your talk about team members taking team friendly deals you mean like Bennett who is going to be paid 15 next year at 32 or Kam who is going to get 10 mil. Earl is getting 8.5 next year. Berry is getting 19 and is very comparable to Earl.

He is a top 5 safety, but you gotta get it right that he plays deep 3rd most of the time. That's 33%. Not 50% like a cover 2 safety. Folks just gotta be real about that. It gives football literate people like me a damn aneurysm.

He covers a lot more than 33% and that's going to become an issue as he slows down which will happen. He and Sherm were the primary reason that our cover schemes worked. He played 2/3rds relied on Sherm to completely lock down 1/3. Kam primarily plays run support and TE cover as well as smacking people down. Earl does the coverage job of 1.5 to two safeties

Dude, stop. Even Earl himself was just saying in this very thread (article quote or something) that all people have to do is do their damn jobs. That's what this defense is and always will be. Another misconception is that it's VERY old. It's not new. It's been copied for decades and decades. MLB calls the plays and the SS (because he's close) works with the MLB to keep everyone in the back half strait on any adjustments that either of them might make. FS is way in the back and no one can even hear the guy except for the other DBs on away games in particular.

What was the movie in the 90s where that running back was all running in slow motion telling like 3 guys to block individual defenders? Sort of looked like FSU and everybody's ad lib and free ballin'?

Yeah, anyway, real football is nothing like that.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Earl is in my top 5 favorite all time Hawks, and I would hate to see him go. With that being said, its a business, guys usually want one big payday while their in their prime and sometimes feelings get hurt. If he wants more than what we can comfortably pay, then there's the door.

I bet Pete and John saw the writing on the wall with this and knew what was coming. The signing of McDougald might have been more a long term plan than a short term depth signing. I really don't see him playing out his contract here, I would bet he's traded before the draft.

We aren't getting a 1st for him, unless someone wants to severely overpay and feels like he is the missing piece. Being from Texas, Im sure he was a Cowboys fan.................... Jerry can have him for a 1st and a 5th.

$&@# that!

I’m think there is a lot of frustration on having a lost season. Guys are blowing off steam. I bet this blows over.

 

[vin.couve12]

Dude grew up near Houston. Not Dallas.

 

[SeaChat]

This is Pro Football, its always going to be about "Show Me The Money" . Earl has given us all that he has since day one and now its time for the seahawks to do right by him and pay him what he is truly worth and that would be an amount befitting one of the best all time free safeties in the history of the game.

As is the case with all to many things in print, more people need to read the printed lines and stop trying to read the void spaces in between them. I don't buy any of this hoopla about a big rift between Bobby and Earl, they are brothers on the field and off. I talk smack to people I call friends, and vise-versa, and there is no hard feelings or ending of friendship in light of it, As a matter of fact we have become even closer over the years.

This reminds me a lot of a little while back, when Sherman stuck his for sale sign out there to see if he had gotten his worth from the Seahawks, or if anyone thought he was worth more. Everyone read between the lines again and it ended getting inflated way out proportion before things finally settled back down and got sorted out. About 99% of "real reasons" Sherm was looking to leave the Seahawks, was pure BS and hadn't anything to do with anything.

I suspect the same holds true in this matter as well, Earl was asked and answered appropriately, that he was one of the best in the game and when his turn came around for the Seahawks to Show Him The Money, and reward him for his loyalty and the performance of job they hired him to do, and do it he did.

If the Seahawks are smart, and so far they have been, in regards to being true to their players who have demonstrated their worth like Earl has, and when the time comes they will extend an offer to him that is becoming of a player of his caliber.

Go Seahawks !

 

[randomation]

People are delusional he is a top 5 safety period and enables our idiotic scheme. He doesn't need a strong safety to drop the hammer if he doesn't have to cover 2/3rds of the field Earl can lay the wood just fine. As for your talk about team members taking team friendly deals you mean like Bennett who is going to be paid 15 next year at 32 or Kam who is going to get 10 mil. Earl is getting 8.5 next year. Berry is getting 19 and is very comparable to Earl.

He is a top 5 safety, but you gotta get it right that he plays deep 3rd most of the time. That's 33%. Not 50% like a cover 2 safety. Folks just gotta be real about that. It gives football literate people like me a damn aneurysm.

He covers a lot more than 33% and that's going to become an issue as he slows down which will happen. He and Sherm were the primary reason that our cover schemes worked. He played 2/3rds relied on Sherm to completely lock down 1/3. Kam primarily plays run support and TE cover as well as smacking people down. Earl does the coverage job of 1.5 to two safeties

Dude, stop. Even Earl himself was just saying in this very thread (article quote or something) that all people have to do is do their damn jobs. That's what this defense is and always will be. Another misconception is that it's VERY old. It's not new. It's been copied for decades and decades. MLB calls the plays and the SS (because he's close) works with the MLB to keep everyone in the back half strait on any adjustments that either of them might make. FS is way in the back and no one can even hear the guy except for the other DBs on away games in particular.

What was the movie in the 90s where that running back was all running in slow motion telling like 3 guys to block individual defenders? Sort of looked like FSU and everybody's ad lib and free ballin'?

Yeah, anyway, real football is nothing like that.

WTF are you talking about? Yes people have to do their jobs that doesn't mean that Earl and Sherm aren't the backbone of our D. Wagner is probably the best player but our elementary level coverage schemes don't work if either Earl or Sherm are hurt because they cut off so much of the field Sherm with coverage and Earl with his ability to close.

 

[adeltaY]

Wait are you trying to argue that playing cover 2 safety is harder than what Earl does in our cover 3?

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/film-r ... arl-thomas

 

[original poster]

This isn't anything new with regards to players attempting to drive up their contract value, who can blame him?

It would be a sad day if the FO didn't resign him, he's well in his prime and is pretty fundamental to the defensive scheming how it does.

With that said, if there were things going on in the background that we as fans aren't aware of, I'd happily give Bradley McDougald a new contract instead and have him play the FS spot. Could likely get an elite guard for the difference in price between Earl and Bradley.

They need to know the plan with Earl this off season though as obviously Bradley McDouglad is a free agent this off season. IF that is the plan they'd be much better off getting some value out of Thomas in a trade for picks (2nd and 5th or 3rd and 4th I'd be happy with).

 

[massari]

Maybe blowing it all up may be the best option.

Seemed like Thomas and Wagner were untouchable but now maybe it's time to consider a fresh start by loading up with young 1st round/2nd round/3rd round draft picks by trading Thomas, Wagner, Bennett, Duane Brown, Doug Baldwin, KJ Wright and letting Graham go. Would probably keep Wagner unless they can get a King's ransom though. Too bad Sherman, Kam and Avril have no trade value.

Waited a year too late.

 

[olyfan63]

You have to be kidding me.

You might be Seahawk fans, and I love you to death for that.

HE HAS SACRIFICED.

Remember a Green Bay playoff game where he was injured in the game but kept playing because he could not come out?

Remember both he and Kam risked their health and livelihood in order to play in that SB that Bevell lost for us?
<snip>

As much as I despise Bevell and his role in SB49FAIL, too often we fail to mention Pete's game rostering active/inactive decisions.

Tharald "Toast" Simon lost that game for us just as much as "the Pick" did. Tharald Simon got repeatedly abused by Brady and the too-quick-for-Simon Pats WRs.

If Carroll has Marcus Burley active on game day, instead of an injured Tharald Simon, we don't give up those long drives to Brady and the Patriots. What was Pete thinking?? Burley was a healthy scratchl

 

[Subzero717]

No player will ever take one for the team. Get your money while you can. You think Aaron Donald is going to give LA a hometown discount? No. He’s going to seek being the highest paid player in NFL history. Not highest paid DT or defender. Player. I guarantee it.

I wouldn't say "No player." Depends on the player and the organization

These kinds of things become mutual. The organization values you enough to give you a big contract. In turn, especially if you love the coach, ownership, and the future of the team...you either take a little less or you structure a team friendly deal. Teams usually load up on bonuses as a result

And even if a player wants the money, great players in their heart want the team they're with to show they value them. They want to stay with the organization. Players do care about culture and stability, Especially if they have families

Could you name me elite players who took hometown discounts?

"Michael Bennett signed a four-year, $28.5 million contract with $16 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.com. He had higher offers from two other teams but took less money to re-sign with the Seahawks."

https://nesn.com/2014/03/michael-bennet ... -seahawks/

And shortly after, the next season regretted doing so. Even fired his agent and campaigned in the media for a new deal which he eventually got and a deal that pays him like 16-17 mill this year.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

 

[randomation]

Wait are you trying to argue that playing cover 2 safety is harder than what Earl does in our cover 3?

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/film-r ... arl-thomas

I seriously think he is and I just don't get it we have seen what happens to our scheme when we have non super humans trying to play the role of completely unique players and it isn't pretty.

 

[Scorpion05]

Michael Bennett got a newer deal but that was 2-3 seasons AFTER he was playing at an even higher level. Bennett felt that because he was being utilized in a versatile way, inside and outside he was underpaid, and he was. But let’s not conveniently ignore the fact that he played almost 3 full seasons underpaid. His original contract was supposed to end in 2018. And he always said he wants to retire a Seahawk, unlike Earl

Also, like I said Earl needs Sherm and Bwagz. He also needs an effective pass rush. How would the defense look with just Sherm and Earl but no Bwagz? A free safety can only do so much. When Earl went down, what compounded the issue was a lack of pass rush and an ineffective replacement. Our offensive problems outweigh the falloff if we merely had just a really good free safety back there

 

[2_0_6]

Dude grew up near Houston. Not Dallas.

Houston doesn't have a 1st rounder this year.

 

[AVL]

Let these old men earn their contract year and move on. Look how little we got from Kam and Mikey. Stop the addiction to star players.

 

[Seymour]

I wouldn't say "No player." Depends on the player and the organization

These kinds of things become mutual. The organization values you enough to give you a big contract. In turn, especially if you love the coach, ownership, and the future of the team...you either take a little less or you structure a team friendly deal. Teams usually load up on bonuses as a result

And even if a player wants the money, great players in their heart want the team they're with to show they value them. They want to stay with the organization. Players do care about culture and stability, Especially if they have families

Could you name me elite players who took hometown discounts?

"Michael Bennett signed a four-year, $28.5 million contract with $16 million guaranteed, according to ESPN.com. He had higher offers from two other teams but took less money to re-sign with the Seahawks."

https://nesn.com/2014/03/michael-bennet ... -seahawks/

And shortly after, the next season regretted doing so. Even fired his agent and campaigned in the media for a new deal which he eventually got and a deal that pays him like 16-17 mill this year.

Sent from my VS995 using Tapatalk

Bennett makes nowhere near $17M. His new deal in 3 years $30M $14,000,000 guaranteed. That is a $10M average. He has a higher cap hit this season of $10.7 because of bonus $$.

That is still a bargain by todays standards. This is one big reason I say signing Richardson (the newcomer) to a considerably higher deal is going create another huge mess with Bennett IMO.

 

[SpokaneHawks]

IMO, RIP LOB. The L.O.B. was great as a whole, LOB is good with missing parts.

 

[SpokaneHawks]

Let these old men earn their contract year and move on. Look how little we got from Kam and Mikey. Stop the addiction to star players.

This, love the team not the players.

 

[2_0_6]

We need to adopt the Patriots philosophy

 

[hawknation2017]

The Patriots have one of the oldest teams in the league. Devin McCourty is 30 and signed until 2020 at $9.5 million per year.

 

[Cyrus12]

It seems the issues in the locker room are real andikely go beyond Bobby and et3. Et3 wants to win. The window is closed here and he knows it. He also won't get the pay day he wants here. He's gone after next year. I suspect in 2 years this team is going to look a lot different