To the casual fan, the apparent abruptness of Earl Thomas' release from the Ravens might have been a bit surprising.
Thomas was at the center of a practice altercation in Baltimore on Friday when he punched fellow safety Chuck Clark. That proved to be Thomas' final appearance with the Ravens, as the franchise on Sunday afternoon officially announced it had cut ties with the seven-time Pro Bowl selection.
The 31-year-old's actions Friday certainly warranted stern discipline, but it doesn't appear as though the Ravens' decision to move on from Thomas was largely based on the practice scrap. If Peter King's insight on the matter is any indication, the skirmish simply might have been the straw that broke the camel's back.
"He was not well-liked by his teammates," King wrote in his latest Football Morning in America column for NBC Sports. "He had a pattern of being late, and in a recent practice, he made multiple assignment errors, causing defensive teammates to confront him about his preparedness. He missed at least one walk-through with no valid excuse. When the incident at Friday’s practice happened, very few if any teammates came to his defense. Teammates backed Clark, the significantly lesser name."
Thomas now is free to sign with any team. The Dallas Cowboys reportedly are "the leading contender" to land the Texas native.
