CHICAGO -- In a perfect world, free safety Earl Thomas would play out the final year of his $40 million contract, the Seattle Seahawks would reward him with an even richer extension and together they would celebrate many more productive years together.
That could still happen, but the Seahawks' world is not as perfect as it seemed a couple of years ago. At best, this is a team in transition. At worst, Seattle is plummeting toward the NFC basement. Where the Seahawks actually fit into the league hierarchy could help them decide how to proceed with one of the great players in franchise history.