Earl Thomas is the biggest issue, but the offensive line matters, too.
At least that’s what the voters in this week’s Seattle Sidelines poll had to say.
This week’s poll came in conjunction with the Seattle Seahawks opening their training camp this week, as the players report to the Virginia Mason Athletic Center in Renton on Wednesday and the first practice session is Thursday. Therefore, readers were asked which issue they were paying closest attention to as camp opened. Here’s the results:
POLL: With training camp beginning Thursday, which Seahawks issue are you watching closest? Full context here: https://t.co/f1xSWH8hvg
— Nick Patterson (@NickHPatterson) July 24, 2018
Add the two together and the situation with star free safety Earl Thomas, who is threatening to hold out, received the most votes, getting 41 percent of the total. However, right behind was the situation with the offensive line, which will have a new look with Mike Solari taking over as the position coach, as it received 35 percent of the vote. Another 18 percent will be monitoring the running back battle, as Chris Carson and Rashaad Penny top the list of candidates fighting to be the primary ball carrier. The “other” selection received 6 percent, suggesting the three listed options are the main issues people will be watching at camp.
And people will be watching first-hand, as the first three weeks of training camp are open to the public. So if you were fortunate enough to get tickets you, too, can see how these situations play themselves out.
As for Thomas, Seattle’s defensive lynchpin is entering the final year of his contract, and he indicated earlier this summer that he intends to hold out unless he receives an extension, something the Seahawks seem reluctant to give the 29-year-old. There was no official word as of 1 p.m. Wednesday, but reports are already out that Thomas will not be present:
#Seahawks star S Earl Thomas will not be reporting to training camp, source says, The 6-time Pro Bowler is entering the last year of his 4-yr extension signed in ‘14 & his play has clearly earned a new deal. Those in Seattle view him as the centerpiece of that D. He’ll be at home
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) July 25, 2018
This has the potential to be a serious headache for the Seahawks. Not only does it mean Seattle will be without arguably its best defensive player for an indefinite period, it could end up being a huge distraction. The last time a prominent player held out was three years ago when Kam Chancellor missed all of training camp, the preseason and the first two games of the regular season. Seattle got off to a horrible start, recovered midseason and was one of the league’s hottest teams going into the playoffs, but had to hit the road in the postseason and wound up losing at Carolina. One could argue that Chancellor’s holdout and the subsequent slow start was the difference.
Anyway, we’ll know more by the time Seattle’s first practice gets underway at 10 a.m. Thursday.
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