More NFL offseason: Mock Drafts | Prospect Rankings | Pro days | Top free agents
Earl Thomas, one of the league's best young safeties, will now be paid like it. A source with knowledge of the situation tells CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora that Thomas will have four new years added to the final year of his rookie contract, and he'll get $40 million in new money.
That will make Seattle's 2010 first-round pick the highest paid safety in the game roughly five weeks after Jairus Byrd earned that honor with the six-year, $54 million free-agency deal he inked with the Saints.
Thomas ranked ninth among all NFL safeties in 2013, according to ProFootballFocus.com, just behind Byrd, the Chargers' Eric Weddle, and the Chiefs' Eric Berry, all players who will make north of $8 million next season. (The Patriots' Devin McCourty ranked first.)
Next up: The Seahawks are trying to lock up cornerback Richard Sherman to a mega-deal.
Seahawks also zeroing in on a deal that would make Richard Sherman highest paid CB in the game. Hopeful it's done before the draft as well
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) April 28, 2014
