The Seattle Seahawks kicked off the first day of training camp practice Thursday with an expected absence.
Safety Earl Thomas, who did not report Wednesday after skipping June's mandatory minicamp, is hoping for a new contract.
While the business side of football takes center stage surrounding one of the league's top safeties, coach Pete Carroll found himself addressing Thomas' nonattendance following Thursday's practice.
"He should be here, and he's not," Carroll told reporters, via Stephen Cohen of The Athletic.
Thomas enters the final year of his contract, which pays a base salary of $8.5 million. Thomas has been steadfast in his desire to not attend any team activities until his contract has been resolved, and an argument can be made he deserves a new deal.
Unfortunately for Thomas, the Seahawks don't necessarily feel a need to address the issue any time soon. Thomas and his reps were informed prior to offseason activities that the team was not going to address his contract, sources informed of the situation told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport. The Seahawks made it clear to Thomas that has attendance in training camp would have zero impact on the contract situation, Rapoport added.
Since entering the league in 2010 as the 14th overall pick of the draft, Thomas has collected 25 interceptions and selected as a first-team All-Pro three times and a six-time Pro Bowler.
Nevertheless, there hasn't been a lot of movement on the Seahawks' side to accommodate the star safety while he remains away from the team.
"We expect him back," Carroll said, per Tim Booth of The Associated Press. "He's under contract."
By choosing to stay away from training camp, Thomas is subject to a $40,000 fine for each missed day.
With Thomas out and Kam Chancellor placed on the season-ending reserve/physically unable to perform list, Tedric Thompson and Bradley McDougald currently project as the top safeties on the Seahawks' defensive depth chart.
