Earl Thomas is likely to leave Seattle Seahawks this offseason

The Seattle Seahawks are expected to part ways with longtime safety Earl Thomas this offseason, which could mean good things for the Chiefs.

If not for a cruel twist of fate, Earl Thomas could be a member of the Kansas City Chiefs right now. It’s a stomach punch, to be sure, especially for a team that could use such a strong presence in an ailing secondary. Fortunately, the winds of change might still allow for such a marriage to happen.

Earlier this year, the Chiefs and Seahawks were reportedly engaged in trade talks and the expectation was that the Chiefs were going to bring in Thomas well before the deadline. Unfortunately, those talks stalled due to a broken leg for Thomas suffered in Week 4. Suddenly any deal was on hold and Thomas would likely end his time in Seattle on injured reserve, shortly before entering free agency.

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Thomas is, of course, best known as the All-Pro veteran safety who has roamed the secondary of the Seattle Seahawks for the length of his career. As part of the Legion of Boom, Thomas won a Super Bowl in 2013 and was named to six Pro Bowls during his tenure with the Seahawks. When he decides to hang up his cleats for good, there’s little doubt that Thomas will be back in Seattle for some sort of enshrinement.

For now, however, Thomas has some good football left in him. Before he fractured his leg this season, Thomas was off to a roaring start in the Seattle secondary with three interceptions in his first three games. Despite the injury and age (he’ll be 30 in May), Thomas is expected to make nice money again this offseason, and it wouldn’t surprise anyone if the Chiefs were one such suitor. But first, he’d have to get away from Seattle.

Bob Condotta of the Seattle Times says that’s what is expected of Thomas this offseason. Pete Carroll’s season-ending remarks to the press kinda/sorta acknowledged as much, as Carroll spoke openly about wanting players like K.J. Wright back next season yet stumbled over his words when asked about Thomas.

"Asked about Earl Thomas, who now is a free agent, Carroll said he had not talked to him recently. When asked if Thomas could stay with the team, Carroll gave a response that does little to dispel the idea that the team doesn’t expect to do anything to bring him back."

If Thomas does enter free agency, the Chiefs will undoubtedly have other teams interested in Thomas’s services. The team also has to figure out what to do about Eric Berry‘s long-term deal (if anything even can be done) as well as Dan Sorensen. But Thomas would represent a significant upgrade at a position that hurt them all year.

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Thomas has 28 interceptions, 11 forced fumbles and 67 passes defended in his career.

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