A recipe for success:
With everything around Earl Thomas in the secondary, and a front-seven that will maintain some of its swagger with an injection of youth, he might be the man to command this defense in 2019. Being a leader is nothing new to Thomas, who was the heart and soul of the Seattle Seahawks defense from his rookie year (2010) until 2018. Baltimore would love that veteran leadership after everything it lost this off-season.
This gives us more than enough belief to buy into a strong, if not career-year, for Earl Thomas; even considering his age and injury.
You know what career-seasons get you? Accolades. Any kind of good season will get Thomas a Pro Bowl, easy. A fantastic season will earn him a minimum of a Second-Team All-Pro, with the upside of getting First-Team honors. Don’t be shocked if Thomas leads the NFL in interceptions in 2019, either.
Thomas is also considered a heavy-favorite for the NFL’s Comeback Player of the Year award, and having an awesome season could net him that. Hell, the kind of season Thomas is capable of could award him the prestigious Defensive Player of the Year award; something that’s escaped him thus far in his pro-career.
Take all of this into consideration and the Baltimore Ravens defense may not miss a beat in 2019. If the offense progresses the way it should, this is a playoff team. We all know that the Ravens are always a threat in the post-season, and this defense and run-heavy offense is a perfect formula to win it all. A Super Bowl berth, and potential win, isn’t completely out of the picture here…
Is all of that unlikely to happen at once? Absolutely it is. How many times have we seen such a season? Still, stranger things have happened, and we’ve seen instances where the stars align perfectly for a player.
Think about it… Earl Thomas could have a remarkable 2019 season, earning him his seventh Pro Bowl selection, his sixth All-Pro nod, a Comeback Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year award, and if everything goes right a second Super Bowl ring! How does that sound for a guy who felt disgraced by his former team in 2018? You better believe it sounds as good for Baltimore Ravens fans as it does for E.T. himself!