Colts Show They Mean Business After Releasing Thomas

The Colts released safety Shamarko Thomas yesterday after only a couple of weeks with the team. Doing so showed that the team means business, and everyone on the roster needs to take notice.

Releasing a safety shortly after he was signed in the preseason usually doesn’t raise eyebrows. It is part of the game. Most teams release and sign several players throughout the course of training camp. But the release of Shamarko Thomas signaled something different.

It showed that the Colts aren’t messing around. In their first preseason game Thursday night, Thomas was the first person to be ejected with the new helmet rule. He unleashed a vicious hit leading with his helmet and was flagged 15 yards and ejected for it.

While there might be controversy surrounding this new rule, this hit was a no-brainer. Even without this rule, he could’ve been ejected for a hit on a defenseless receiver. He made no attempt to use his shoulder in any way as he launched himself at the receiver.

Signing Thomas in the first place was to add some depth at safety while the team had two safeties working themselves back from injury in Malik Hooker and Clayton Geathers. Hooker is back in camp now, but releasing Thomas was about something else.

It was about sending a message to the locker room. If you do something stupid that hurts the team in a senseless way, you’re going to suffer the consequences. Thomas hurt the team and got shown the door for it. Everyone else on the roster has been served notice.

Thomas was never going to be a big contributor, but he could have been a solid special teams guy and provided some depth at safety. Now he’s looking for another job. Other players better learn from him, or they’ll be next.