Earl Thomas announces intention to holdout

Earl Thomas is going to holdout until he gets a new contract.

That was the announcement that the All-Pro safety made on Sunday morning in a long twitter post about his unhappiness with his current contract situation.

“I will not be attending the upcoming minicamp or any team activities until my contract situation is resolved,” said Thomas. Thomas says he wants to remain on the Seattle Seahawks until his career is over but believes he’s earned more than what is currently on his deal. Thomas is in the final year of a deal that pays him $10.4 million, making him the fourth-highest paid safety of 2018.

Trade rumors surrounded Thomas earlier in the year, including a potential reunion with his home state of Texas if he was traded to the Dallas Cowboys, but nothing happened. If the Seahawks explored trade rumors now, it wouldn’t be too late; they acquired Sheldon Richardson late last offseason and the New York Jets got a second round pick and Jermaine Kearse back in the deal. Seattle probably wants to keep Thomas though, since they have so far, but even some fans may feel negatively about the situation given the extensions to Kam Chancellor, Michael Bennett, and Marshawn Lynch in recent years that didn’t pan out as planned.