Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas got the contract offer he was looking for, a four-year, $55 million deal with the Baltimore Ravens that will guarantee him $33 million.
Thomas’ departure signifies the end of the famous Legion of Boom era in Seattle, a nickname for quite possibly the best secondary in NFL history.
Thomas was selected in the first round of the 2010 NFL draft. Strong safety Kam Chancellor was snagged in the fifth round that same season, and the next year Seattle picked cornerback Richard Sherman in the fifth round and signed defensive back Brandon Browner as an undrafted free agent.
The four anchored Seattle to a Super Bowl win after the 2013 season and a near repeat the next year. While the fourth piece rotated to include Jeremy Lane, DeShawn Shead, Walter Thurmond and others, the trio of Thomas, Chancellor and Sherman were fixtures.
Injuries played a huge role in the Legion’s demise. First, it was Sherman, who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in 2017. The same day Chancellor suffered a neck injury that ended his career.
Sherman was released that offseason and signed with the 49ers. Meanwhile, Chancellor is still on Seattle’s roster, but will be released later in the summer for salary cap reasons.
Thomas was the last remaining member. In Week 4 last season he suffered a broken leg that all but sealed his fate in Seattle.
While the LOB era is over, Seattle will turn their attention to a new crop of defensive backs (Baby Boom? Legion of Shaqs?) that will be led by strong safety Bradley McDougald and a pair of young corners in Shaquill Griffin and Tre Flowers.
While they may not reach the greatness that the LOB achieved, they should provide entertaining football for the 12s over the next half decade or so.
