Earl Thomas was not at the Seattle Seahawks' facility Monday for the first of their voluntary organized team activities, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Thomas' absence, which was first reported by NFL Network, does not come as a surprise given his stated desire for a new contract and comments earlier this month from coach Pete Carroll, who said he wasn't sure when Seattle's All-Pro free safety would show up to the team's offseason program. Players are not required to attend until mandatory minicamp, which the Seahawks will hold from June 12-14.
Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner concluded a radio interview Monday morning with a message of appreciation for Thomas.
"Before we get off, I would like to take this time to shout out to Earl Thomas," Wagner told 710 ESPN Seattle. "I think he's an amazing player, I think he's an amazing person, he's a Hall of Famer, and just let him know that we're over here wishing for the best in that situation and we're thinking about him, and I just want him to know that from this end."
Wagner was asked why he felt a need to say that.
"Just because he needs to know," Wagner said. "He needs to know that we appreciate him over here because he's a talent that you're not going to ever see another person like him ever again play the football field. There's nobody that's going to be able to start from one side of the hash and be able to get all the way to the other side of the field."
A six-time Pro Bowl selection and three-time first-team All-Pro, Thomas is entering the final year of the four-year, $40 million extension he signed in 2014. That contract was tops among safeties in terms of annual average when it was signed but now ranks sixth, according to Spotrac.com.
Thomas told ESPN at the Pro Bowl in January that he may hold out if he doesn't get a new deal before the season, but general manager John Schneider has said twice since then that Thomas' representatives have informed him that he won't hold out.
The 29-year-old was the subject of trade speculation earlier this offseason. Schneider never shot down the possibility when asked about it, saying it's his job to listen to everything. He told Seattle's Sports Radio 950 KJR after the draft that the team wasn't trying to trade Thomas.
Thomas would be subject to fines if he were to skip minicamp, though teams can decide to not impose them. This year, the maximum amounts are $14,070 for the first day, $28,150 for the second day and $42,215 for the third day, for a total of $84,435.
"Earl had a fantastic offseason, and I know he knows how to get in shape," Carroll said when asked about Thomas after the team's rookie minicamp. "Veterans sometimes look at those rules and they see 'voluntary' and they see it differently than the other guys, so we'll see."
Thomas and Wagner are two of the star defenders who remain with the Seahawks after an offseason of big-name departures. The team cut Richard Sherman, traded Michael Bennett, lost Sheldon Richardson in free agency and released Cliff Avril with a failed physical designation. Kam Chancellor's football future is uncertain because of a neck injury. Seattle also lost tight end Jimmy Graham and wide receiver Paul Richardson in free agency.
Wagner's support of Thomas is also notable because of the tiff they got into last season following a blowout loss to the Los Angeles Rams in December. Wagner took exception to Thomas telling reporters after the game that Wagner shouldn't have been playing on an injured hamstring. He shot back at Thomas on Twitter, quickly deleted the tweet and later said he regretted how he "mishandled the situation."
When that incident was jokingly brought up in the 710 ESPN Seattle interview, Wagner laughed and called it "water under the bridge."