Earl Thomas is giving the Seahawks an ultimatum ahead of training camp.
Taking to Instagram on Monday, the six-time Pro Bowler issued a blunt message to Seattle’s front office: Seal his future with an extension or put him on the trade block.
“Always been the underdog ain’t nothing new. Extend ….. if you don’t want me let’s make a trade happen I understand it’s a bizz 29 LAVIBES,” Thomas, 29, wrote.
Drafted by the Seahawks in 2010, the all-pro safety enters the final year of his four-year, $40 million contract extension, signed in April 2014. He played a total of 14 games last season, with Seattle finishing second in the NFC West at 9-7.
This offseason the Seahawks have purged much of their Legion of Boom, cutting cornerback Richard Sherman and trading defensive end Michael Bennett to the Eagles. Sherman, now with the rival 49ers, alleged head coach Pete Carroll lost many of the veterans (and complained about his stale storytelling).
“A lot of us have been there six, seven, eight years, and his philosophy is more built for college,” Sherman said, per ESPN. “Four years, guys rotate in, rotate out, and so we had kind of heard all his stories, we had kind of heard every story, every funny anecdote that he had.”
San Francisco’s newest cornerback also claimed his former employers “lost their way a little bit” in terms of evaluating core players.
Thomas already planted a seed with a fellow NFC team in December, telling Cowboys coach Jason Garrett, “If you have a chance to get me, come get me.”
Thomas skipped June’s organized team activities, lobbying for a contract extension.
“I will not be attending the upcoming mini camp or any team activities until my contract situation is resolved,” he penned online. “I want everyone especially the 12s to know that I want to remain a Seahawk for the rest of my career but I also believe that based on my production over the last 8 years that I’ve earned the right to have this taken care of as soon as possible.”
The Seahawks remain on the clock.