Despite still wearing a red “no-contact” jersey in practice, Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas is expected to be ready to play in the team’s season opener against the St. Louis Rams.
“Earl got a lot of work this week,” head coach Pete Carroll said. “He’s getting ready to be in shape to play for the opener. His timing is getting down, his calls, and you can see him fitting in. His intensity that he brings is starting to show up. That’s important.”
Thomas came off the Physically Unable to Perform list on August 5th but did not return to practice until last week. He’s been held out of contact drills even while practicing as the team wants to limit strain on his surgically repaired shoulder.
With Kam Chancellor’s holdout continuing with no resolution in sight, having Thomas ready for the start of the regular season will be a big boost for Seattle. If Chancellor continues his stance into the regular season, the Seahawks will have a much better of chance of weathering his absence with Thomas patrolling the middle of the field.
