Could Ravens safety Earl Thomas be out of Steelers division soon?

Former All-Pro safety, Earl Thomas, reportedly got into a fight with a teammate. Here’s why he could be out of the Steelers division soon.

The Ravens and Steelers have experienced talent at the safety position over the past two decades like no other team in the league. For Baltimore, Ed Reed was a force on the back end for 11 years – earning 9 Pro Bowls and 5 first-team All-Pro honors en route to a Hall of Fame career. Since his retirement, the Ravens have played with two of the best in the league in Eric Weddle and Earl Thomas.

Weddle was signed by the Ravens in 2016 and made three straight Pro Bowls with the team. Thomas joined the team last season in what proved to be a Pro Bowl campaign.

Despite the transition from three of the best safeties the NFL has seen over the past twenty years, things have not gone smoothly for their latest addition. While Earl Thomas is on a Hall of Fame pace, he’s been a headache to deal with for the Ravens coaching staff; so much so that they may have finally had enough.

On Friday, Thomas was sent home from practice after getting into a fight with teammate, Chuck Clark. This is hardly the first scuffle Thomas has been involved in. Last year, his distraction to the team was at its peak as he was involved in a domestic dispute after being held at gunpoint by his wife for cheating on her.

This could be the end for Earl Thomas

Even in his 30s, Thomas is still one of the best safeties in the NFL. Unfortunately, there comes a point where the distraction outweighs the benefits of keeping a player around the facility – we saw this play out with Antonio Brown.

According to NBC Sports’ Mike Florio, the Ravens could potentially cut Earl Thomas and save $10 million in the process. Thomas’s guarantee for 2020 evaporates if he’s suspended by the Ravens for conduct detrimental to the team.

Being sent home for a fight in training camp isn’t something that happens all that often, and it makes me wonder if the Ravens have had enough.

The Steelers had the opposite experience with their star safety of the 2000s. Troy Polamalu may have been a violent, punishing defender on the football field, but he was a soft-spoken player who was rarely involved in altercations with teammates. While Thomas may be joining Polamalu in the Hall of Fame, the former Seahawks All-Pro has had a plethora of issues throughout his career.

In Seattle, Thomas wanted to hold out for a new contract. When he played and broke his leg, he can be remembered flipping off his coaches on the sidelines.

Earl Thomas’s antics are proof that players like Troy Polamalu really do come around just once in a lifetime. Though he may end up being a comparably good player when it’s all said and done, nobody wants to deal with him. The good news is that he may be out of the Steelers division soon.