NFL Trade Rumors: Will Raiders, Seahawks Consider Dealing Khalil Mack, Earl Thomas Before Week 1?

Earl Thomas and Khalil Mack are two of the best defensive players in the NFL. They have also both refused to show up to training camp in search of new contracts, leading to speculation that they might be available in the right trade.

Neither the Seattle Seahawks nor Oakland Raiders might have much interest in trading their respective stars, especially with the 2018 season just a few weeks away. Trade rumors, however, could persist for as long as Thomas and Mack stay home.

Thomas, 29, has been vocal about what he wants for the upcoming season. He wrote an article in The Players’ Tribune last week, asking that the Seahawks offer him a contract extension or trade him. The safety is set to make a base salary of $8.5 million this year before becoming a free agent in 2019.

“If the Seahawks don’t intend on having me around for the long-term, then I understand. And if they want to start over and rebuild, then that’s their right — it’s part of the business. It’s not what I want … but I get it. All I ask, though, is that if that’s the case, and they don’t want me anymore — just please trade me to an organization that does,” Thomas wrote.

“Please trade me to a team that wants me, so I can give my all to them for the rest of my career.”

The Dallas Cowboys have been viewed as a potential landing spot for Thomas in the offseason, especially since the defensive back has indicated he wants to play for America’s Team. Dallas made an offer to Seattle, according to 105.3 The Fan’s Shan Shariff, but it didn’t match the Seahawks' reported asking price of a first-round pick.

With Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor gone, Thomas is the lone Legion of Boom mainstay that’s still with the Seahawks. He was voted to his sixth Pro Bowl in seven years in 2017 and named a Second-team All-Pro selection for the second time during that span. Thomas was a First-team All-Pro selection from 2012-2014.

Mack, 27, is also coming off a Pro Bowl season. He’s made the team in three straight years after being drafted in 2014, including winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2016. That sounds like the resume of a player that would be due for a contract extension, though Oakland doesn’t seem too interested in paying the defensive end what he wants.

NFL Media’s Ian Rapoport reported last week that Mack and the Raiders hadn’t had any contract talks since February. A few days before that, ESPN’s Adam Schefter said Mack still had yet to have his first conversation with Jon Gruden since the head coach was hired in January.

That doesn’t mean Oakland has any plans of trading arguably the league’s best pass rusher. Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie recently told The Athletic’s Vic Tafur that there is no reason to worry in light of Mack’s absence.

“Khalil is not the first guy to hold out. But we’ll get through this,” McKenzie told Tafur. “ But there is nothing really to report. He is going to hold out until he gets an extension, and that’s where we are.”

ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez did just list Mack among possible trade candidates this summer. The star edge rusher is owed nearly $14 million this season, and he could be franchise tagged in each of the next two seasons.

Mack had more than one-third of Oakland’s sacks in 2017 with 10.5, leading the team for the third straight year. He has 36.5 sacks, eight forced fumbles and 228 combined tackles in the last three years, leading the NFL with 257 quarterback pressures during that time.