5 free agents the Steelers should have called during the bye week

S Earl Thomas

Earl Thomas is a headcase, I know. But the fact that he is still sitting in free agency is a bit surprising. Though NFL players have even expressed their displeasure for Thomas recently, his skills on the football field are undeniable.

Thomas is widely considered to be one of the best safeties of this generation. He played a large role on a Seattle Seahawks team that won a Super Bowl and appeared in another in his earlier years, and it comes to nobody’s surprise that he has been selected to 7 Pro Bowls in addition to 3 first-team All-Pro honors.

While his brash personality is concerning, Mike Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the league at keeping players like Earl Thomas under wraps. The concern is that he could become an issue in the locker room and mess up the chemistry Pittsburgh’s defense has going for them. However, there’s no doubt in my mind Thomas is a significant upgrade at safety over Terrell Edmunds.

We don’t have to like him, but I’m picturing Thomas on this defense with the ball coming out quick on every play. That would be a beautiful sight.