Why Patriots Should Steer Clear of Free-Agent S Earl Thomas

Thomas has all-world talent, but there are more reasons not pertaining to football that make him an odd fit for the Patriots.

On Aug. 23 the Baltimore Ravens parted ways with former All-Pro safety Earl Thomas following an altercation with a teammate during practice. Thomas got into an on-field altercation with fellow safety Chuck Clark after Thomas blew an assignment, which led to a heated exchange between the two players and Thomas reportedly raising his fists at one point. The long-time Seattle Seahawk was then kicked out of practice and eventually off the team. 

Whenever a high-profile free agent hits the market, you know the New England Patriots will be in the conversation as a potential suitor. We saw that most recently with free-agent pass-rusher Jadeveon Clowney. That's why the question is now being raised as to whether Thomas would be a good fit for the Patriots. 

There's no doubt that Thomas has all-world talent. But that doesn't mean he's a good fit for New England. That's why - for more reasons than just one - the six-time Super Bowl champions should steer clear of Earl Thomas. 

Thomas, at 31 years of age, was just booted off a team that owes him $10 million in 2020. Baltimore will likely win the grievance hearing, because they released him for "conduct detrimental," which will likely play a factor into the verbiage of his contract, which could prevent the team from having to pay Thomas his guaranteed money. 

But that's not what's important here. What's important is that the Ravens were willing to deal with a grievance against a player of Thomas' talent level. While we are now aware of the on-field altercation that led to Thomas' release, something doesn't add up. Why would the team release Thomas after that one altercation? Well, CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora shed some light on what else was taking place behind closed doors in Baltimore. 

Then, many around Thomas put up with him, shall we say, showing up not quite ready to practice or missing meetings or doing whatever he cared to do on game day rather than sticking to the scheme or play call. After all, this was a future Hall of Famer who has been the closest thing we've seen to Ed Reed during his storied career in Seattle. And this franchise has not shied away from taking on guys with difficult personalities.

While having an organization like the Ravens cut ties and absorb a bit of dead money just to have Thomas off the team isn't a good sign, there are also other reasons why Bill Belichick shouldn't attempt to sign Earl Thomas. 

One of the primary goals of this offseason for New England was to get younger and cheaper. That's why when Tom Brady, Kyle Van Noy and Jamie Collins departed, the team only signed Brian Hoyer, Cam Newton and Brandon Copeland, all of which will make well under $10 million this season. Instead, the team put kept their money in their pocket and opted to use the draft and the undrafted free agency pool to acquire talent at multiple positions, with the hope that they can develop that talent and stack up on money moving forward. Now, the team has $31 million in cap space this season and could roll it over into their 2021 cap space, which is already projected to be one of the largest figures out of any organization in the league. 

Thomas still has plenty of gas left in the tank, which is why him signing a modest contract with another team despite being released half way through training camp doesn't seem likely. That means if New England wanted him, they'd likely have to get into a bidding war, and might have to offer him a deal that pays him around $10 million in 2020, which is a guess, but based on the figures Baltimore was going to pay him this year.

Look - Thomas, from a football standpoint, would be a great fit for New England. He isn't a replacement for Patrick Chung, who opted out of the 2020 season due to concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. However, having Thomas come in and play in a two-deep safety look with Devin McCourty, in a role similar to what Duron Harmon had when he was with the Patriots, is something to salivate over. That would make an elite secondary easily the best in the NFL. But because of his character concerns and because of his likely asking price, bringing in Thomas - especially after falling flat on their faces after signing Antonio Brown last year - goes against what Belichick's goals were this offseason as he plans for the future (I know Brown and Thomas are very different situations, but Brown was a recent example of New England bringing in a 30+ year old player that was recently cut due to character concerns).

That's why, at the end of the day, Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots should steer clear of Earl Thomas. The talent and football fit is there, but the situation doesn't go in line with the team's long-term goals. 

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