Odds Say Seahawks’ Earl Thomas IS Getting Traded

• Earl Thomas is skipping practices in a bid to land a new contract
• The holdout has not hampered Thomas’ on-field play
• The Chiefs, Steelers, and Cowboys have emerged as rumored destinations

The ongoing drama involving Earl Thomas opened a new chapter last week as the Seattle Seahawks safety elected to skip practice twice without authorization. His actions have breathed new life into speculation about his future with the team, and fueled heavy -250 odds that the three-time All-Pro will be traded at some point during the 2018 NFL season.

Currently in the final year of a four-year contract that pays him an average of $10 million per season, Thomas was a holdout throughout the offseason while demanding a contract extension.

The 30-year-old reported to camp just in time for the start of the regular season, and has been outstanding, racking up 13 total tackles and three interceptions through the first three weeks of the campaign. However, Thomas has decided to skip practices in an effort to minimize the wear and tear on his body as he waits on the Seahawks to either pay him or trade him.

Odds Earl Thomas Will Be Traded During the 2018 NFL Season

Thomas Seeking Contract Comparable to Eric Berry

Selected 14th overall by the Seahawks in the 2010 NFL Draft, Thomas is reportedly looking to land a contract similar to that of Eric Berry. Also a first-round pick in 2010, the Kansas City Chiefs safety inked a six-year, $78 million deal in early 2017 that made him the highest-paid safety in the NFL.

It’s official. We have signed safety Eric Berry to a contract extension.https://t.co/ak9M7wa9VW pic.twitter.com/kaIiNl3Yvx

— Kansas City Chiefs (@Chiefs) February 28, 2017

With Berry hampered by a heel injury that has sidelined him for the past two games, the Chiefs have emerged as a rumored destination for Thomas.

Kansas City has opened the NFL season on a torrid pace, averaging over 39 points per game in three entertaining victories. The squad’s early success has lifted them to a vastly improved +900 on the Super Bowl odds, trailing only the Los Angeles Rams and New England Patriots.

However, any Super Bowl aspirations are tempered by the Chiefs’ dismal pass defence, which has surrendered 363 yards per game and is ranked dead last in the NFL.

Steelers, Cowboys Emerge as Possible Destinations for Earl Thomas

Speculation has also swirled around a possible trade involving one of this season’s other high-profile holdouts, Le’Veon Bell. The two-time All-Pro running back has yet to report to the Pittsburgh Steelers as he pursues a lucrative contract extension.

https://twitter.com/seahawksFGSN/status/1045118073706024961

While second-year rusher James Conner has performed well in place of Bell in the Steelers backfield, a porous pass defence that has surrendered a league-high 10 touchdowns through Week 3 has directly contributed to Pittsburgh’s middling 1-1-1 start and diminished +140 odds to repeat as AFC North champions.

No talk of trade speculation would be complete without mention of the Dallas Cowboys. While the most pressing issue facing the Cowboys is a moribund offence that has produced fewer than 14 points per game through Week 3, rumors of a deal that would send Thomas to Dallas haven’t gone away.

Favorable Schedule a Determining Factor

However, the determining factor in whether the Seahawks pull the trigger on any deal involving Thomas will likely be the team’s play on the field.

The determining factor in whether the Seahawks pull the trigger on any deal involving Thomas will likely be the team’s play on the field.

Fresh off a 24-13 victory over Dallas as narrow 1-point home chalk, Seattle faces three beatable opponents on the road ahead of the October 30th trade deadline, starting with this weekend’s visit to Arizona as 3-point favorites.

Winning is a tonic, and should the Seahawks find themselves in playoff contention in late October, the +170 odds of the team not trading Thomas could look very attractive.