Seahawks’ Earl Thomas happy to see other safeties get big contracts
Aug 8, 2016, 1:01 PM
Earl Thomas said his hat is off to Cardinals safety Tyrann Mathieu for his record-setting contract. (AP)
(AP)
After Cardinals free safety Tyrann Mathieu signed a five-year, $62 million deal to become the NFL’s highest-paid safety, the Seahawks’ Earl Thomas took to Twitter for congratulations.
Thomas expanded on his appreciation for Mathieu’s game while talking Friday with 710 ESPN Seattle’s John Clayton, and also made note that he expects the deal to benefit him in the future.
“You see Tyrann Mathieu just got paid $60 million, so hats off to him, and it’s kudos to the next time I get my paycheck,” Thomas said.
Clayton: Physical nature of Seahawks’ early practices is needed this season
Thomas signed a then-record four-year, $40 million extension in April 2014. His salary is now the fourth-highest among free safeties in the NFL, behind Mathieu ($12.5 annually), the Saints’ Jairus Byrd ($10.9 million) and Kansas City’s Eric Berry ($10.8 million). The Chiefs used a franchise tag on Berry this offseason but the two sides have thus far been unable to find common ground on a long-term extension.
Mathieu has been a dynamic player for the Cardinals but has suffered two torn ACLs in his three seasons in the league. While Mathieu has missed eight games over his career, Thomas has never missed a start in six seasons.
The contract discussion started when Clayton asked Thomas about how the safety position has evolved thanks to the likes of Troy Polamalu and Ed Reed.
“I’m just excited for the safety (position) because when I came in people didn’t look at the safety position like they should have. It was all about the corners,” Thomas said. “Just to be a part of what Troy and Ed started, I’ll fall right in that line.”
To be fair, the market for corners is still more highly valued than that of safeties, with nine cornerbacks set to make more than Thomas in 2016, including his teammate Richard Sherman ($14.7 million). Clayton noted that part of the reason Mathiu’s contract is so large is because of his ability to also play slot corner, something Thomas has not been asked to do for the Seahawks.
“I’m a DB, you can’t really put me as a safety, even though I’ve been playing it all my life here,” Thomas said. “But college, Pop Warner, high school, I was all over the field.”
Thomas said he’s paying attention to Berry’s contract situation, too.
“Eric is a great safety,” Thomas said. “We came in together. I think he went like No. 6 in the draft and I went 14. So we know each other really well and the competition always has been there.”
