Earl Thomas to hold out until contract resolved

[kidhawk]

or... they could just renegotiate his contract quickly and move forward.

I'd lean heavy towards this. Kam held out with 2 years to go. The Seahawks don't renew contracts with more than a year, so it became prolonged. Earl only has one year left on his deal, so previous history suggests they should be willing to extend his deal. The only thing that would stop them from doing so is if they don't plan to keep him around. Personally I find that scenario far less likely than him getting an extension.

 

[jammerhawk]

OK, but at what cost?

Do you think Thomas' agent will settle on a deal that pays him less than Eric Berry money? Somehow with Clark and Wilson waiting in the wings for new deals I can't see the team and Thomas being able to come to an agreement on a new deal as I doubt the team is going to give him a 4 yr, $75 million/$30 million plus guaranteed deal.

 

[FinNasty]

OK, but at what cost?

Do you think Thomas' agent will settle on a deal that pays him less than Eric Berry money? Somehow with Clark and Wilson waiting in the wings for new deals I can't see the team and Thomas being able to come to an agreement on a new deal as I doubt the team is going to give him a 4 yr, $75 million/$30 million plus guaranteed deal.

Why would they not pay him Eric Berry money? He deserves it...

 

[Seymour]

or... they could just renegotiate his contract quickly and move forward.

I'd lean heavy towards this. Kam held out with 2 years to go. The Seahawks don't renew contracts with more than a year, so it became prolonged. Earl only has one year left on his deal, so previous history suggests they should be willing to extend his deal. The only thing that would stop them from doing so is if they don't plan to keep him around. Personally I find that scenario far less likely than him getting an extension.

Huh?
The most recent previous history indicates they would rather trade than extend him (just not for dirt cheap offers).
Also, most recent previous "lessons" learned on 3rd contracts say the same thing.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

or... they could just renegotiate his contract quickly and move forward.

I'd lean heavy towards this. Kam held out with 2 years to go. The Seahawks don't renew contracts with more than a year, so it became prolonged. Earl only has one year left on his deal, so previous history suggests they should be willing to extend his deal. The only thing that would stop them from doing so is if they don't plan to keep him around. Personally I find that scenario far less likely than him getting an extension.

Kam was renewed when our FO thought we could still go for broke and make another SB run.

That window is closed, or if that's too negative for you, we're turning the roster over getting younger and hungrier again. So for as much as we all love Earl, giving him an insane Eric Berry contract doesn't make sense at all at this point in time.

If you're being realistic, and Pete and John are realistic people, they know they're probably another 2-3 years away from competing for a Lombardi IF they make the correct decisions with extensions and drafts, and get the talent and depth back to where it was 5-6 years ago.

Why pay Earl 15M+ for the next 4-5 years, strap your cap situation and risk another Kam situation where you're paying an aging player to sit on the bench.

 

[Seymour]

OK, but at what cost?

Do you think Thomas' agent will settle on a deal that pays him less than Eric Berry money? Somehow with Clark and Wilson waiting in the wings for new deals I can't see the team and Thomas being able to come to an agreement on a new deal as I doubt the team is going to give him a 4 yr, $75 million/$30 million plus guaranteed deal.

Bingo!! Winner!!

Also throw Wagner in there above Clark on the big $$ signing priority list.

 

[Seymour]

"I want to have certainty in regards to the upcoming years of my career.”

No kidding Earl....don't we all!!

Well I bet that Peter, Paul, and John want some certainty that we do not become the laughing stock of the league for paying top $$ for declining players that either can no longer play, no longer be counted on being healthy, or paying for a player that cannot play to the level he is being compensated to perform to.

LOB = Legion of Blackmail ukeface:

And you feel this describes Earl Thomas???

#2 sure does!

His first 6 seasons he starts all 16 games every year.
Last 2 he starts 11 then 14.

That would indicate the beginning of a less reliable Earl.

Also....1st 6 years Earl averages 61 tackles per season.
Last 2 he averages 40.

 

[kidhawk]

or... they could just renegotiate his contract quickly and move forward.

I'd lean heavy towards this. Kam held out with 2 years to go. The Seahawks don't renew contracts with more than a year, so it became prolonged. Earl only has one year left on his deal, so previous history suggests they should be willing to extend his deal. The only thing that would stop them from doing so is if they don't plan to keep him around. Personally I find that scenario far less likely than him getting an extension.

Huh?
The most recent previous history indicates they would rather trade than extend him (just not for dirt cheap offers).
Also, most recent previous "lessons" learned on 3rd contracts say the same thing.

People are comparing this to Kam's holdout, but our recent history shows that Pete/John are willing to extend deals that only have one year left on them. This is not really similar to Kam holding out with 2 years left. I'm not sure why that seems to confuse people. It's apples/oranges with Kam/Earl

 

[kidhawk]

or... they could just renegotiate his contract quickly and move forward.

I'd lean heavy towards this. Kam held out with 2 years to go. The Seahawks don't renew contracts with more than a year, so it became prolonged. Earl only has one year left on his deal, so previous history suggests they should be willing to extend his deal. The only thing that would stop them from doing so is if they don't plan to keep him around. Personally I find that scenario far less likely than him getting an extension.

Kam was renewed when our FO thought we could still go for broke and make another SB run.

That window is closed, or if that's too negative for you, we're turning the roster over getting younger and hungrier again. So for as much as we all love Earl, giving him an insane Eric Berry contract doesn't make sense at all at this point in time.

If you're being realistic, and Pete and John are realistic people, they know they're probably another 2-3 years away from competing for a Lombardi IF they make the correct decisions with extensions and drafts, and get the talent and depth back to where it was 5-6 years ago.

Why pay Earl 15M+ for the next 4-5 years, strap your cap situation and risk another Kam situation where you're paying an aging player to sit on the bench.

They could have likely traded Thomas and got something in return for him had they wanted to be rid of him. Obviously they valued him more than others were offering us. Earl wanting a new deal isn't something that suddenly came up. We've all been aware of it, so you have to know that the front office has been well aware of it, yet they chose to keep him around. This in itself is a sign that they are willing to negotiate a deal with him. They may not come to terms, but the team seems to want to keep him around more than they wanted to just ship him off to get younger.

 

[Seymour]

Shopping a player for trade is not showing "they are willing to extend". I'm not talking about Kam holding out with 2 years left. I'm talking about the end result becoming a disaster for the team.

 

[Spin Doctor]

OK, but at what cost?

Do you think Thomas' agent will settle on a deal that pays him less than Eric Berry money? Somehow with Clark and Wilson waiting in the wings for new deals I can't see the team and Thomas being able to come to an agreement on a new deal as I doubt the team is going to give him a 4 yr, $75 million/$30 million plus guaranteed deal.

Why would they not pay him Eric Berry money? He deserves it...

First of all, no he doesn't. I'm saying this due to recent Free Safety contracts. Earl will get what the market says he will get. It is also worth mentioning that Eric Berry was much younger than Thomas when he got his huge contract. Berry also did not make comments about retiring, or pull the same kind of stunts that Thomas pulled in Dallas. Earl Thomas talked about retiring than all of the sudden he pulls back when he sees what Berry got paid. If I'm a GM I would be hesitant given remarks about retiring, and such on twitter. Moreover we were actively trying to get rid of him this offseason and we had no takers. It is rare that Pete Carroll or the Seahawks publicly announce that they are trying to deal a certain player. That to me is a signal that there is some sort of disconnect between Thomas and the organization. To make matters worse for Thomas, the FS contracts in free agency have been tepid at best. In the draft we also saw safeties fall down the boards, and we saw teams unwilling to make a deal for what is considered the best safety in the league at the moment in Thomas.

His age also is going to play a factor. Thomas is going to turn 30 soon, and last season he seemed to be showing some signs of slowing down. He did not have quite the range that Thomas was known for having in his prime. As a fan of the organization, I do not know the full story. That being said, the willingness of Pete Carroll to try and deal one of his corner stone players, and comments made in the past about retiring, and a few debacles such as the Dallas one makes me question him as a player. Does he even buy into what our coach is selling at this point, and if so what is his devotion to the game like? These are all pertinent questions that would give me pause if I was Jon Schneider or Pete Carroll.

Even if Earl Thomas were to hit the FA market tomorrow I highly doubt he would receive anything near what Eric Berry got. The circumstances are different from when Berry signed that contract. Giving Earl that kind of contract would be a risky proposition given his age, actions he took, and things he's said in the twitterverse. I'm sad that the situation is what it is, but I think it is time that we said goodbye to Thomas, and welcome in a new era. He was one of my favorite Hawks and he anchored what is one of the best, if not THE best secondary of all time.

 

[kidhawk]

Shopping a player for trade is not showing "they are willing to extend". I'm not talking about Kam holding out with 2 years left. I'm talking about the end result becoming a disaster for the team.

They also reportedly had offers, and declined to accept them. They have known this entire off season that he wanted an extension. This is not a surprise move on his behalf. If they weren't willing to discuss an extension, they'd have accepted what was on the table for him. Having Earl disgruntled for half a season isn't worth the hassle.

I understand why people may not want to extend him (although I'm not in agreement), but that doesn't mean the team has just ignored the fact that he wants an extension this entire off season. It really doesn't make sense to have kept him around with the knowledge that he wanted an extension, if they didn't plan on at the very least, negotiating said extension in good faith.

 

[jammerhawk]

"I want to have certainty in regards to the upcoming years of my career.”

No kidding Earl....don't we all!!

Well I bet that Peter, Paul, and John want some certainty that we do not become the laughing stock of the league for paying top $$ for declining players that either can no longer play, no longer be counted on being healthy, or paying for a player that cannot play to the level he is being compensated to perform to.

LOB = Legion of Blackmail ukeface:

And you feel this describes Earl Thomas???

#2 sure does!

His first 6 seasons he starts all 16 games every year.
Last 2 he starts 11 then 14.

That would indicate the beginning of a less reliable Earl.

Also....1st 6 years Earl averages 61 tackles per season.
Last 2 he averages 40.

Which given Kam's circumstance should render the team very cautious and even unlikely to offer a large guaranteed 3rd contract to Thomas, notwithstanding his past performance as it is the expectation of his performance going forward.

 

[Seymour]

Shopping a player for trade is not showing "they are willing to extend". I'm not talking about Kam holding out with 2 years left. I'm talking about the end result becoming a disaster for the team.

They also reportedly had offers, and declined to accept them. They have known this entire off season that he wanted an extension. This is not a surprise move on his behalf. If they weren't willing to discuss an extension, they'd have accepted what was on the table for him. Having Earl disgruntled for half a season isn't worth the hassle.

I understand why people may not want to extend him (although I'm not in agreement), but that doesn't mean the team has just ignored the fact that he wants an extension this entire off season. It really doesn't make sense to have kept him around with the knowledge that he wanted an extension, if they didn't plan on at the very least, negotiating said extension in good faith.

From what I heard they were offered a 3rd by Dallas, and Dallas was reluctant because of contract desires. They still could get a better offer as the season nears from a team in need, or even a 2nd or 3rd and a player they have a need for if the right team comes around.

I don't mind extending him.....for a bit more than he is making though which is way less than he wants. Times are changing with $30M++ QB contracts taking a higher share. Franchise QB teams are going to be forced into these decisions IMO.

The offer came when Dallas was sitting there waiting to make the No. 81 selection of the draft, their only third-round pick. According to Shariff, they offered that pick to the Seahawks while on the clock but "didn't hear back" from the Seahawks and decided to turn in the card for Colorado State wide receiver Michael Gallup.

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...day-trade-offer-to-seahawks-still-interested/

 

[bigskydoc]

Earl's behavior absolutely destroyed his market value, and led to the situation we are in now.

He wants top safety money, his play is worthy of top safety money, and there are several teams who would be happy to pay him top safety money on a long contract. Unfortunately, the Hawks aren't one of those teams. We really aren't in the position to give him a top dollar, long-term contract.

Had Earl quietly gone about the last couple of seasons, doing his job, and keeping his mouth shut, it's likely that one of those teams, who is in a position to pay him top dollar, would have given us a reasonable trade for him. Unfortunately, he made his plan abundantly clear to everyone in the league, and no one is going to make much of a trade for a one year rental (unless someone in strong contention loses their starting safety). The Cowboys would be dumb to give us anything more than a token pick in return for a player that they can get in free agency next year.

I don't see where Thomas has any leverage here. He destroyed his market value. We all know he will test the market as soon as he hits free agency, and so there is no incentive to give anything up for him now. If he doesn't return to play by the Lions game, his contract tolls and he won't be a free agent until 2020 at the earliest.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I don't see where Thomas has any leverage here. He destroyed his market value. We all know he will test the market as soon as he hits free agency, and so there is no incentive to give anything up for him now. If he doesn't return to play by the Lions game, his contract tolls and he won't be a free agent until 2020 at the earliest.

You're right on both counts. He has no leverage, and he destroyed his value by announcing to the world that he wants to finish his career in Dallas.

Doesn't mean other teams aren't interested, but it certainly means those teams aren't going to give the Hawks what we want for compensation if they're getting a one year rent-a-player because he's hell bent on playing in Dallas if we don't give him the monster extension here.

I compare it to when Griffey announced he only wanted to be traded to the Reds. It's just dumb, and it royally screws your current team, because competition is what drives up a players value. The more teams interested the better.

One team? Err, not so much. Dallas is perfectly happy to play the waiting game.

 

[vin.couve12]

Question do people really believe Earl Thomas as hofer?? I looked at the numbers he ain’t Charles Woodson

No.

He's statistically similar to Reggie Nelson over his first 8 years and then Reggie Nelson had 14 INTs over years 9 through 11. He won't catch Reggie Nelson, let alone get into the hall. Kenny Easley had 32 picks in 7 years and it took him 25 years to get in. If he gets in, it will be because of name more than play and it won't be for an extremely long time, but likely not at all.

 

[Seymour]

I don't see where Thomas has any leverage here. He destroyed his market value. We all know he will test the market as soon as he hits free agency, and so there is no incentive to give anything up for him now. If he doesn't return to play by the Lions game, his contract tolls and he won't be a free agent until 2020 at the earliest.

You're right on both counts. He has no leverage, and he destroyed his value by announcing to the world that he wants to finish his career in Dallas.

Doesn't mean other teams aren't interested, but it certainly means those teams aren't going to give the Hawks what we want for compensation if they're getting a one year rent-a-player because he's hell bent on playing in Dallas if we don't give him the monster extension here.

I compare it to when Griffey announced he only wanted to be traded to the Reds. It's just dumb, and it royally screws your current team, because competition is what drives up a players value. The more teams interested the better.

One team? Err, not so much. Dallas is perfectly happy to play the waiting game.

I pretty much agree, but this could be a who blinks first situation that Earl is attempting to gain the upper hand in also.

The Cowboys will argue the leverage has now shifted to their side in trying to acquire Thomas. Why? No team was willing to pay Seattle's price in this draft. That lowers expectations on what the Seahawks can get in return.

Seattle can counter that the Cowboys still need a safety and refuse to budge.

The wild card is Thomas. He can force the issue by his participation -- or lack of it -- in the Seahawks' offseason program. If he and the club can't agree on an extension, if Seattle becomes convinced it will lose the veteran in free agency next season and get nothing in return, the dynamics change.

The Cowboys can respond with a conditional pick in next year's draft that escalates based on how many snaps Thomas takes and games he starts.

https://sportsday.dallasnews.com/da...after-draft-doesnt-mean-cowboys-done-pursuing

 

[vin.couve12]

Dallas is set to make Martin the highest paid guard in NFL history and he's already making 9+ mil.

 

[HawkerD]

Just pay the guy already, he has certainly earn it. Lets go in the season fresh without distractions for once.

You don't get a contract you ALREADY earned. You get one that you management anticipates you WILL earn.