Philadelphia Eagles: Stay far, far away from Earl Thomas

Earl Thomas is a risk not worth taking for the Philadelphia Eagles.

If there is one position the Philadelphia Eagles have invested in more than any other position this offseason, it’s safety.

Between the re-signing of Rodney McLeod, the free agency signings of Will Parks, Jalen Mills’ position change, and the selection of K’Von Wallace in the 2020 NFL Draft, Howie Roseman could probably shed a safety to a team like the Browns and still have more than enough when Week 1 opens up in a few short weeks.

But naturally, when a big name player becomes available seemingly out of the blue, there are going to be fans who clamor for the shiny new piece that’ll magically put their favorite team over the top.

More from Section 215

Only, here’s the thing: Earl Thomas isn’t that guy.

I mean yes, technically, Thomas would be an on-field upgrade over McLeod, Mills, heck any safety on the roster. Even at 31, Thomas is probably the best deep centerfielder in the NFL, with the speed needed to play a tad closer to the line than a normal free safety and a ballhawk’s mentality. Any team that plays a lot of Cover 3 would love a player like Thomas, and any player drafted into the role will all but certainly watch a ton of his tape to prepare for the rigors of the league.

Calling Thomas a prototypical player is apt but off the field, he’s anything but a model professional.

Per Undisputed’s Skip Bayless, Thomas didn’t have very many fans in the Baltimore Ravens since inking a massive four-year, $55 million contract in 2018. The three-time All-Pro would routinely freelance at the back of Don Martindale’s defense, most notably meeting to a massive Nick Chubb run in a shocking loss to the Cleveland Browns, Thomas never quite fit into the Ravens’ style of play; a style of play Thomas knew full well the squad has more or less utilized under Jim Harbaugh since 2008.

Factor in the, shall we say, unique situation between Thomas, his brother, and wife during the offseason and it sounds like the Ravens couldn’t cut their guy fast enough after the 11th-year-vet punched out fellow safety Chuck Clark after a non-designed blitz in practice.

I mean for real, if Skip freakin’ Bayless doesn’t want his Dallas Cowboys to go anywhere near Thomas why on Earth would anyone want the Eagles to do so? If Cowboys fans are weary about a player’s red flags, you know they are serious.

With McLeod set to enter the first of a two-year, $12 million deal this season, signing Thomas to anything other than a veteran minimum contract makes very little sense financially, and could sow some disharmony in a position grouping that genuinely seems to enjoy each other’s company. Heck, did you hear Nickell Robey-Coleman gush about Darius Slay’s wife’s banana pudding? All it would take is Thomas calling said pudding a tad too runny and we too may have to deal with fisticuffs on the Eagles’ practice field.

I, for one, will take no banana pudding slander in my Eagles talk, thank you very much.

Next. The Philadelphia Eagles just quietly upgraded their CB position. dark

In Madden 2020, Earl Thomas is an X-factor player. He’s one of the highest-rated safeties in the game, has the best badges, and is considered a must get for any player who likes to run a Cover 3 defense. In real life though, Thomas is in very serious danger of not playing at all in the NFL this fall, especially for a team like the Philadelphia Eagles. If the team does want to target a former All-Pro on the open market, why not give a nod to someone like Eric Berry? That dude was truth and yet somehow hasn’t played an NFL snap since 2018. Personally I’d like to see that change.

Home/Philadelphia Eagles