Seattle Seahawks’ Earl Thomas Beats Richard Sherman To The Contract Table

A question for you, Seattle Seahawks fans. What does:

• Five interceptions,
• Nine pass deflections,
• Two forced fumbles,
• 105 solo and assisted tackles in 2014 …

… all add up to?

If you’re 24-year-old Earl Thomas, Seattle’s heat-seeking missile of a safety, those numbers add up to $40 million — as in dollars — as in new money on top of the $4.625 million Thomas is due to make in the 2014 season. All total, Thomas’ contract with the Seahawks now averages a league-leading $8.925 million-per-year, with $27.725 million guaranteed.

His name is Earl

Of course, not every 24-year-old starting safety can expect to achieve such a lofty contract extension, but the Seahawks know there is a short list of top NFL safeties — a position seeing a growing resurgence in respect and prominence — and Thomas is at the top of it. Certainly, a few other key statistics figured amply into Thomas’ new, NFL-best (for a safety) salary: three Pro Bowls, two All-Pro selections and just narrowly missing out on earning the Defensive Player of the Year award (he finished third) in last season’s Super Bowl season.

The good news for all sides in this equation — Thomas, the Seahawks and the 12^th man — is that Thomas will likely earn all of it. He is young enough and at the top of his game. All parties concerned can expect to see Thomas continue to be one of the top safeties in the game over the next five years.

Good timing, Earl

This was Thomas’ best chance to hit the contract jackpot. And he hit it. Few will argue that Thomas didn’t deserve a contract extension of this magnitude. Of course, he is also the recipient of some good timing, namely: having recently just won the Super Bowl and Seattle’s ludicrously low salary cap commitment to its quarterback position. While the Seahawks are locked into a head-shaking low outlay for their top three quarterbacks in 2014 ($662,434 for Russell Wilson, $1.25 million for Tarvaris Jackson and $705K for newcomer Terrelle Pryor), they are thus free (temporarily) to spend on other positions.

This easy ride to cheddar town for the Seahawks will end next season, as Wilson becomes eligible to renegotiate a new contract more befitting his stature as a young, talented, Super Bowl-winning quarterback. If he pulls off only a mediocre season this year, expect him to command at least $15 million a season before the 2015 season kicks off. Which, for you non-math majors out there, will add up to at least $14.4 million in less available cap space compared to this year. Should Wilson manage to lead the Seahawks to a second consecutive NFL championship, the bidding for Wilson’s services will start in excess of $20 million per season and could easily go north of $22 million.

So, you got it at the right time, Earl. And — almost certainly next up in the line in front of the Seahawks cash register — cornerback Richard Sherman. As gaudy as Thomas’ numbers look, top safety pay pales in comparison to top cornerback pay — of which Sherman most definitely is. The NFL’s current top-paid cornerback, the New England Patriots’ Darrelle Revis, will earn an average of $16 million in salary and bonuses per year over the next two seasons. Which means the bar for Sherman’s next contract is set at roughly twice the size of Thomas’ new deal.

Like Thomas, expect the Seahawks and the Sherman camp to aim to get a deal done before the NFL draft on May 8 – 10. The cash is flowing in Seattle.