"Holdout" news of Earl Thomas

[A-Dog]

No one player on this defense is irreplaceable. Wagner is a great MLB, and his running mate is very good. You don't keep on top of the league by keeping the core together, you use players to the end of their rookie deals, then replace them except for the great QB. The Belichick model is the ideal. It ain't just because of Brady.

A. Nobody saying that anybody is irreplaceable. However, to say that you can replace a 6-time all pro who just had one of his best seasons and is only 28 years old with a low-level free agent without a massive drop-off or a major re-working of the defense is silly.

B. Neither Bobby nor KJ are on their rookie deals.

C. Name another team in the league that has been able to replicate the Belichick model.

 

[Sports Hernia]

No one player on this defense is irreplaceable. Wagner is a great MLB, and his running mate is very good. You don't keep on top of the league by keeping the core together, you use players to the end of their rookie deals, then replace them except for the great QB. The Belichick model is the ideal. It ain't just because of Brady.

Earl Thomases don’t grow on trees. You can stick any player in his position and label him a free safety but that’s not replacing Earl’s production. The Cheatriot way works for them and then only, they are in a unique situation.

 

[Sports Hernia]

No one player on this defense is irreplaceable. Wagner is a great MLB, and his running mate is very good. You don't keep on top of the league by keeping the core together, you use players to the end of their rookie deals, then replace them except for the great QB. The Belichick model is the ideal. It ain't just because of Brady.

A. Nobody saying that anybody is irreplaceable. However, to say that you can replace a 6-time all pro who just had one of his best seasons and is only 28 years old with a low-level free agent without a massive drop-off or a major re-working of the defense is silly.

B. Neither Bobby nor KJ are on their rookie deals.

C. Name another team in the league that has been able to replicate the Belichick model.

BINGO, great post, you said it better than I did. :2thumbs:

 

[A-Dog]

To replace Earl a player would need to have three things, First and foremost high football IQ and think and read quickly, second speed and acceleration, that's probably the easiest to find, CB's have that a lot and Earl played CB as well, third is the ability to finish plays and punish, many CB's don't do this, Having a Linebacker in a Safeties Body with Football smarts and the speed and acceleration is a combo that is needed. Be it a Safety like Thomas a Linebacker playing heavier then normal that has those aspects that can trim down to a natural weight and get faster or a CB that may be shorter but thicker and a hitter.

But the speed and range and football IQ and ability to process that information fast is the biggest key I think then the speed and acceleration and lastly the physicality.

Tedric Thompson was said to have the instincts and football IQ coming out of college, along with great ball skills (better hands than Earl). The speed is questionable (4.60 40-yd) and the tackling was lacking in college.

 

[chris98251]

To replace Earl a player would need to have three things, First and foremost high football IQ and think and read quickly, second speed and acceleration, that's probably the easiest to find, CB's have that a lot and Earl played CB as well, third is the ability to finish plays and punish, many CB's don't do this, Having a Linebacker in a Safeties Body with Football smarts and the speed and acceleration is a combo that is needed. Be it a Safety like Thomas a Linebacker playing heavier then normal that has those aspects that can trim down to a natural weight and get faster or a CB that may be shorter but thicker and a hitter.

But the speed and range and football IQ and ability to process that information fast is the biggest key I think then the speed and acceleration and lastly the physicality.

Tedric Thompson was said to have the instincts and football IQ coming out of college, along with great ball skills (better hands than Earl). The speed is questionable (4.60 40-yd) and the tackling was lacking in college.

Again the package, Earl is small by standards, you matched the IQ lets say but the range and speed are missing.

Sounds like he would be better if we went to a Tampa 2 defense if that was the case but you have to beef up Linebackers to defend the run, we have light guys made for speed more then taking on lineman and shedding blocks.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

It ain't just because of Brady.

Why do people keep hailing New England's near-100% turnover rate and forget that there's always been one constant in every season, at the most influential position in football - and say it's not Brady?

 

[adeltaY]

It ain't just because of Brady.

Why do people keep hailing New England's near-100% turnover rate and forget that there's always been one constant in every season, at the most influential position in football - and say it's not Brady?

I would guess they think the system plays a huge role as well which is probably true, but I think Brady being Brady allows the system to produce at a historically great level.

 

[edogg23]

This is the attitude that is slowly killing this team. It’s time to get rid of anyone who is not here for the team first.

 

[Sox-n-Hawks]

This is the attitude that is slowly killing this team. It’s time to get rid of anyone who is not here for the team first.

Boom! :ditto: :ditto: :ditto: :ditto:

 

[adeltaY]

Are there examples of disgruntled players who played at an elite level for their teams? There have to be somewhere.

 

[NFSeahawks]

Pete learned the hard way with Kam, they will make the vets offers and if they turn them down they trade them, simple as that. It's the business of ball, and yes I believe all the LOB is on the decline so it's better sooner than later.

 

[ApnaHawk]

To those who think we can just replace Earl. Let me ask you this. In 40 years of our existence, when have had a safety like him? Only Easley comes to mind.. think about that for a second.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

 

[chris98251]

To those who think we can just replace Earl. Let me ask you this. In 40 years of our existence, when have had a safety like him? Only Easley comes to mind.. think about that for a second.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

That's an unfair assumption due to the type of defenses we had over 40 years. Robinson, Easley were both good in their systems.

 

[seahawkfreak]

To those who think we can just replace Earl. Let me ask you this. In 40 years of our existence, when have had a safety like him? Only Easley comes to mind.. think about that for a second.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

Lot of variables here and it is not just about loyalty. He is probably a top 5 Seahawk (right now) in our history.

However, how long can he play at this level,,,,,, 2,3 years? Probably, but he's not going to take a 2 to 3 year extension. I could be wrong but rational thinking is that he will probably want a 4 to 5 year deal, for a very high price. If that is what the FO does I'm fine with that but this is a very slim line between age, wage and productivity.

We sign him to a 4-5 year deal and he only produces at his current level for only another 2 yrs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, that is a mistake.

 

[Sox-n-Hawks]

To those who think we can just replace Earl. Let me ask you this. In 40 years of our existence, when have had a safety like him? Only Easley comes to mind.. think about that for a second.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

Or maybe there's a better Safety to be found. Earl is legit, but when it's time... it's time. If it's all about the money, he can move on.

FYI Easley was a SS not a FS. Darryl Williams and Eugene Robinson were both solid at FS, although they were never selected all pro they played excellent in their system. Easley started 7 seasons.

Any guesses how many Earl has? Yup, 7.

 

[Steve2222]

Earl Thomas for David Decastro straight up

 

[Jac]

Pete learned the hard way with Kam, they will make the vets offers and if they turn them down they trade them, simple as that. It's the business of ball, and yes I believe all the LOB is on the decline so it's better sooner than later.

I pretty much agree. In a period where they're refreshing coaching, I think they'll also refresh player acquisition strategy. I don't think Carroll and Schneider will allow another Kam situation to manifest, nor do I think they break the bank to keep him. If he's traded, I think everybody is going to be disappointed with the return. We seem to be the only team anymore that tosses around first rounders for players (Cleveland tried but that was for a young franchise QB).

 

[Sports Hernia]

To those who think we can just replace Earl. Let me ask you this. In 40 years of our existence, when have had a safety like him? Only Easley comes to mind.. think about that for a second.

The grass is not always greener on the other side.

Lot of variables here and it is not just about loyalty. He is probably a top 5 Seahawk (right now) in our history.

However, how long can he play at this level,,,,,, 2,3 years? Probably, but he's not going to take a 2 to 3 year extension. I could be wrong but rational thinking is that he will probably want a 4 to 5 year deal, for a very high price. If that is what the FO does I'm fine with that but this is a very slim line between age, wage and productivity.

We sign him to a 4-5 year deal and he only produces at his current level for only another 2 yrs,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, that is a mistake.

Why wouldn’t he take a 3 year deal and let’s say team and player options for 2 more years?
But let’s say a 3 year extension. That still gets him “paid” here, and let’s him go home to *allas after that.
Sounds like a win-win in my book.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Earl Thomas for David Decastro straight up

No thanks.

 

[TwistedHusky]

This team wins with and because of the defense.

Maybe that changes, but all I know is when Wilson played as well as he had ever played - we barely made it out of a wild card game. We aren't the Steelers, we cannot win consistently with offense and Wilson cannot consistently carry this team for 4 quarters.

So if you have to win with defense, you either win because of great players or great tactics. We typically win because of great players. We don't really have a complicated scheme. We don't massively adjust/adapt to the opposing offense.

So if we primarily have a great defense because of great players, what happens when you start releasing/trading these great players? The defense gets worse.

Some of you peeing and moaning about guys like Earl Thomas or Michael Bennett are going to find out what happens when you remove them. We won't be able to just expect our defense to hold for 3 quarters to bail our offense out until we can start producing TDs.

This is a defense that wins because it has great players. When ET was out, we lost more. When Kam was out, we lost more. Because we win because of the players, and that means removing those players will have consequences.

We are not New England. We win because of the players, not the plays. Changing the players is going to change a lot of the results.