Seattle Seahawks All-Pro safety Earl Thomas called out his team on his Instagram account, urging them to trade him if they won't sign him to a new contract.
"Always been the underdog ain't nothing new," Thomas wrote on his Instagram account. "Extend .....if you don't want me let's make a trade happen I understand it's a bizz."
However, Thomas' desire to get a contract extension from Seattle is far-fetched as the Seahawks are not in negotiations with the safety, according to Mike Sando of ESPN.
The 29-year-old Thomas has just one year and $8.5 million left in the four-year deal worth $40 million extension that he signed in 2014. At the time he signed the deal, Thomas was the highest-paid safety in terms of annual average salary, but has fallen to sixth.
Kansas City Chiefs Eric Berry tops the list with an average salary of $13 million a year. Seahawks teammate Kam Chancellor is second with an annual average salary of $12 million.
Miami Dolphins safety Reshad Jones is also earning an average of $12 million a year, Lamarcus Joyner of the St. Louis Rams has an average salary of $11,287,000 while Harrison Smith of the Minnesota Vikings will earn an average of $10,250,000 a year.
Thomas Skipped Mandatory Minicamp
In protest of his contract situation, Thomas skipped the Seahawks' mandatory minicamp, declaring that he will not join any team activity without a contract extension.
While the Seahawks are interested in signing Thomas to a long-term deal, they are wary that the Chancellor situation might happen again. Last summer, the Seahawks signed Chancellor to a three-year deal worth $36 million, with guaranteed money amounting to $25 million.
Last season, Chancellor played nine games before suffering a potential career-ending neck injury. Earlier this month, Chancellor said on his Twitter account that he played his last NFL game. However, Chancellor wasn't medically cleared to play, meaning that the Seahawks must pay his guaranteed $6.2 million salary in 2018 and $5.2 million salary in 2019.
Another Legion Of Boom Member To Say Goodbye?
If Thomas is traded, he will be the latest member of the Seahawks' Legion of Boom to leave Seattle. Cornerback Richard Sherman was released by the Seahawks while pass rusher Cliff Avril retired due to a serious injury.
The Seahawks' vaunted defense was a crucial piece in the team's five straight playoff appearances from 2012 to 2016, including a Super Bowl win in 2014.
Earlier, Sherman declared that the Seahawks' organization is in disarray after mistakes and poor judgment by the front office.
"Mistakes and poor judgment on things ruined what could have been a really special deal," says Sherman, who signed a three-year deal worth $39 million with incentives. "You don't have much left right now."
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