Getty Earl Thomas during Ravens camp.
The Baltimore Ravens released Earl Thomas a few months back, and all has been quiet on the free agency front for the safety until now.
Monday, it was revealed that the Houston Texans hosted Thomas for a visit. The 0-3 Texans are in a desperate spot and in Thomas, they may have found a defender that can fill in and provide some depth on the back end for a defense which has been pushed around in recent weeks.
The #Texans are bringing in free agent S Earl Thomas, per the wire.
While the Texans hosted Thomas and there is interest from both parties, nothing is set in stone yet as it relates to a signing. The former Ravens’ safety was released following a skirmish during training camp, and thus far, interest in Thomas has been tepid at best.
Houston offers him a spot close to home, and with Thomas long assumed to want to return to Texas, it could make sense for both parties. That’s especially true given the Dallas Cowboys have not yet come calling for Thomas despite the potential for interest being rumored for years.
If Thomas signs with the Texans, he will have a chance to atone for his untimely exit from the league just ahead of the 2020 season beginning, something which was unplanned that Thomas also admitted to feeling badly about.
Earl Thomas Wished Ravens Well After Release
Thomas hopped on Instagram following the news and penned an emotional goodbye to the team, saying in part that he wished things would have ended differently with the Ravens than they did, but saying he did have a good run with the team in the end.
Here’s a look:
From Earl Thomas on Instagram
Thomas also went on to thank the front office for bringing him to the team, and said he wishes his teammates that remain with the team well.
Why the release? During training camp earlier this past offseason, Thomas got into it with Chuck Clark during a fight and as a result, he was sent home from the team’s practice. This was according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.
#Ravens star safety Earl Thomas was sent home from the facility Friday following a fight with teammate Chuck Clark, per sources. A situation to monitor.
Things soured fast after the scuffle and the team decided to move on from the volatile safety following the fight in which he was suspended from the team.
Thomas put up 49 tackles, 2 interceptions and 2 sacks with the Ravens last year in a deep backfield and defense, but it’s clear this kind of conduct did not endear him to his team or teammates. Thomas plays with an edge, but taking it this far with his teammates was not a great idea, even though it happened during practice.
Now that the Ravens have moved on, it was thought that Thomas may have a deep market from teams in the league looking for a quality veteran defensive back. This event, though, may definitely have played a role in someone’s decision to sign him.
It appears that the Texans are a team that could very well decide on that move when all is said and done in the coming days.
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Controversial Former Ravens Safety Has New NFL Visit Revealed