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The Ravens have safely released Earl Thomas. They have blamed the action on “personal behavior that has negatively affected the team. They will certainly refuse to pay his guaranteed salary of $ 10 million by 2020. Thomas will certainly file a complaint to seek payment, which will ultimately be the difference between $ 10 million and what he earns elsewhere in 2020.
His contract, a copy of which PFT received on Saturday, contains standard language (not player-friendly or team-friendly, just standard language) responsible guarantees in the event of a failure or refusal to report, practice or play, causing the club with permission, suspension for conduct damaging , as suspension by the league under league policy (Personal Behavior, Substance Abuse, PED).
Some will say that because Thomas was not actually held accountable for conduct that harmed the team, his warranties were not void. The Ravens, who are likely to act on the advice of attorney and input from the league office, are no doubt of the opinion that the action taken – termination of conduct that adversely affected the team – will void the warranties.
The answer may lie in the literal interpretation of the contract. In many cases where potential cancellation of guarantees goes, the team cancels the guarantees but retains the player, and retains the ability to cut him later, due to skill, injury or cap. In this case, the Ravens released Thomas for reasons not because of skill, injury or cap, but because of personal abuse that negatively affected the team.
The contract makes clear the fact that the $ 10 million will be paid despite the fact that the team Thomas has released due to skill, salary or injury reasons. Here, the Ravens cut Thomas for a fourth reason, one that does not cover the warranty: Personal abuse that negatively affected the team.
That’s how the grief is likely to play out. Thomas and the NFL Players Association will claim that Thomas is entitled to the $ 10 million guarantee, and the Ravens will claim that they cut him for a reason net covered by the warranty. And if the Ravens can prove they cut him because of personal abuse that negatively affected the team and not because of skill, injury or cap, Thomas will get nothing.
