Seahawks Extend Safety Earl Thomas Through 2018

The Seattle Seahawks have a lot of decisions to make regarding their roster over the next couple of seasons. They can now cross a big one off the list. According to reports, the team has agreed to a new four-year, $40 million extension with star safety Earl Thomas, locking him up as a Seahawk through the 2018 NFL season.

One of the stars of Seattle’s Super Bowl run of a year ago, Thomas posted posted a career high 105 tackles in 2013, while also picking off five passes and registering eight deflected passes. The versatile safety offered excellent pass coverage to go with good play-making ability, while also providing great support against the run.

At just 25 years old, the Seahawks get Thomas locked down in his prime, and likely won’t have to worry about a new deal until he turns 29. By then, the Seahawks should be able to lock him up for the remainder of his career, while likely getting a hometown discount.

Widely respected across the league, Thomas is rumored to be even more respected than stud cornerback and teammate Richard Sherman in his own locker room. In fact, Seattle viewed Thomas as their top long-term signing priority. Seattle first had to secure unrestricted free agent defensive end Michael Bennett earlier in the off-season, but immediately upon locking Bennett up, Seattle turned their focus to negotiations with their star safety.

With the signings of Bennett and Thomas out of the way, the Seahawks can now aim to land a long-term contract agreement with the aforementioned Sherman, who is widely regarded as a top-two corner in the NFL, if not the best lockdown corner in the game.

By nailing key signings and knowing when and when not to pay top dollar for key players, the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks could be on their way to building a dynasty.