‘Strong chance’ Thomas signs
Safety cut by Ravens during the preseason for fight in practice
Earl Thomas’ instinctive, hardhitting style has earned him a Super Bowl ring and seven Pro Bowl selections.
A free agent since being cut by Baltimore in August following a fight with teammate Chuck Clark on the practice field, Thomas’ ballhawking skills could be a match with the Texans.
Thomas, 31, arrived Monday to work out for the Texans, and there’s a “strong chance” that the franchise signs him if his audition and meetings with team officials go smoothly, according to league sources not authorized to speak publicly.
Texans safety A. J. Moore injured his left hamstring Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers and was placed on injured reserve Monday, meaning he has tomiss at least threeweeks.
Thomas was released by the Ravens after throwing a punch at Clark after an argument over a busted coverage. The Ravens moved on from Thomas, even though he made the Pro Bowl in his one season with them after signing a four-year, $55 million contract andwas due a $10 million guaranteed salary this year.
“We have terminated S Earl Thomas’ contract for personal conduct that has adversely affected the Baltimore Ravens,” the team said in a statement.
Thomas became a disruptive force in the Ravens’ locker room, according to league sources, clashing with teammates and coaches, missing or being late for meetings andbeing finedmultiple times. Before Thomas was cut, several veteran players went to Ravens coach John Harbaugh and expressed their opinion that he should be off the team. Two days later, Thomas was gone and replaced by DeShon Elliott, a third-year player fromthe University of Texas.
Thomas also made unwanted headlines in May when his wife, Nina, reportedly held him at gunpoint at an Airbnb in Austin after allegedly discovering infidelity.
TheTexans are0-3 and have not intercepted a pass or created any turnovers. Safety Eric Murray, signed to a three-year, $20 million
contract this offseason, allowed four receptions on five targets while playing 91 percent of the defensive snaps in a 28-21 loss to the Steelers.
The Texans’ secondary has allowed six touchdown passes and opposing quarterbacks have a112.2 passer rating against them.
Thomas, who played at West Orange-Stark and the University of Texas, has 30 career interceptions, returning two for touchdowns, with12 forced fumbles, six fumble recoveries, 713 tackles and 78 passes defensed. He has the third-most interceptions since entering the NFL in 2010 with the Seahawks.
Thomas was named to the Pro Bowl last season but had some rough moments. That included allowing an 88-yard touchdown run to Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb.
A rangy player with explosive tackling skills, Thomas struggled in a playoff loss to Tennessee as he was stiff-armed in the back by running back Derrick Henry.
The Ravens wanted Thomas out so badly that they absorbed a po
tential $25 million in dead money over the next two years.
Thomas has previously lobbied for the Dallas Cowboys to add him, including when he was playing for the Seattle Seahawks, but they have shown no interest.
The Los Angeles Chargers didn’t pursue Thomas, despite losing safety Derwin James to a season-ending knee injury.
Since the Texans lost Tyrann Mathieu in free agency two years ago when he signed a three-year, $42 million deal with the Chiefs, there’s been instability at safety. Tashaun Gipson was released after one season this offseason after Murray was signed.
Thomas is extremely athletic. At 5-foot-10, 208 pounds, he’s run the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds and he has a knack for disguising his intentions to quarterbacks and jumping in front of passes.
Now, the Texans are exploring the risk-reward of potentially adding Thomas to the equation