The Seattle Seahawks are playing hardball with the rest of the NFL. According to ESPN, they won't budge on their asking price for Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas. The wantaway was a big part of their Super Bowl triumph under Pete Carroll, but now that the franchise is exploring a rebuild, Earl Thomas has become surplus to requirements. The trouble is, Earl still has plenty of value, and the team is hell-bent on seeing their demands met, even if they've publicly boxed themselves into a vulnerable position.
Apparently, the Kansas City Chiefs were hot on Earl Thomas' heels, but unfortunately, they were unwilling to meet Seattle's asking price of a 2nd round pick. On the other hand, the Dallas Cowboys did meet the asking price for Thomas, but they were shown the door because the Seahawks' brass wasn't too hot on the idea of facing their former player in Week 3 of the NFL schedule. Now that said matchup has passed, the Seattle would likely consider reexamining the possibility, but for all intents and purposes, they don't seem to be in a rush to get a deal made.
Earl Thomas has participated in all team affairs, even though he's missed a good portion of actual gameplay. Seahawks' coach Pete Carroll maintains that Earl and the organization remain "in a good place" despite the circumstances.