The last few weeks have been quite difficult for star safety Earl Thomas in his journey toward finding his next landing spot in the NFL. The Houston Texans were believed to be that possible destination, but things quickly fell apart, keeping Thomas in the free-agent market. However, there may be another more troubling reason why he remains without a new team.

Earl Thomas, Texans fail to work out a contract

Before the start of the 2020 season, the Ravens made the surprising move to let go of star safety Earl Thomas.

The decision came shortly after the former Pro Bowler was involved in an altercation in practice with fellow safety Chuck Clark that saw him punch his teammate. Baltimore sent Thomas home, and he did not return to the team’s practice facility.

The belief is that wasn’t the only reason why the team elected to part ways with the 31-year-old as there were other internal issues. He had been involved in a confrontation with defensive tackle Brandon Williams after losing to the Cleveland Browns last season. He also reportedly missed or was late to several meetings throughout his brief stay in Baltimore.

Although things slowed on that front to find a landing spot, the Texans recently brought him in for a workout. However, things never transpired into the two sides hammering out a deal. The team cited coronavirus concerns playing a factor in Thomas remaining unsigned. There may now be another telling reason why things didn’t work out.

Texans players didn’t want Earl Thomas on the team

The Houston Texans are off to a troubling start to the 2020 season that has drawn significant concern about their playoff hopes. That quickly pushed Houston to potentially address one of their problems defensively in the secondary by bringing in Earl Thomas.

However, that situation had several hurdles that have prevented things from resulting in a deal for Thomas. According to Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports, several Texans players responded with negative feedback once it became known that the team was working out the former Pro Bowler.

The players were well aware of Thomas’ behavior that contributed significantly to his departure with the Ravens. What also added to the situation is head coach Bill O’Brien’s rocky relationship with the locker room that has been in question to a greater extent since the DeAndre Hopkins trade.

Combined with the franchise’s struggles through the first few weeks of the 2020 campaign, all that pushed the team away from bringing aboard the star safety. It leaves Thomas remaining in an unfamiliar spot with his NFL future up in the air.

What’s next for the Pro Bowler?

Since things quieted down on the front with the Houston Texans, Earl Thomas hasn’t had any traction with another team.

The Dallas Cowboys remain in the picture, but the franchise hasn’t moved in the direction of bringing him aboard. Instead, it’s a wait-and-see approach with the matter. His next opportunity could arise through injury or a team’s struggles defensively over the next few weeks.

There does appear to be lingering concerns that stem much further than his production on the field. Thomas will likely need to prove to any potentially interested team that he’s passed those issues that contributed to his departure from the Ravens.

What it may come down to is Thomas finding the right fit so that he can continue his NFL career as the opportunity appear to be slim. Only time will tell if that scenario will present itself during the 2020 season.