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Walter Thurmond is one of four former Eagles players current on the market as a free agent. There's speculation that the 28-year-old defensive back might not be returning to the NFL, however. Check out these tweets from Les Bowen:
Lot of us wondering why @WaltThurm3 hasn't gotten any buzz in free agency. Several people around the Eagles think Walt might be retiring...
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 11, 2016
Thurmond had his healthiest year in 2015, but he has a long injury history & a lot of off-the-field business interests, including filmmaking
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 11, 2016
As FA approached, I texted w/Walter, who said he was "just going to make the best decision for myself and my future." Reading that now...
— Les Bowen (@LesBowen) March 11, 2016
Bowen also retweeted this 12-day old tweet which features Thurmond on a set with singer–songwriter and actor Eddie Levert.
Day 1 on set w/ Eddie Levert of the O'Jay's. Excited to collab w/ Venus Music Group on upcoming doc. #livinglegend pic.twitter.com/irVOQ8EvHW
— GMF (@GetMoreFilms) February 28, 2016
And then there's this interesting note:
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All these signs seem to suggest there's substance to the speculation that Thurmond might leave the game early. If that's the case, this was uncertainly unexpected. Thurmond is coming off one of his best seasons as a professional. He played relatively well at safety despite never having played the position before this year. In 1141 snaps played, he had 52 tackles, three interceptions, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one defensive touchdown, and two sacks.
It was thought that Thurmond would have his fair share of suitors on the open market, leading to a potentially big pay day. But so far there hasn't been any reported interest. The Eagles weren't expected to bring Thurmond back due to the team's defensive scheme change, but maybe the real reason is because he's not coming back to football at all.
If Thurmond walks away, he'll be the second Eagles player to retire this offseason. Backup center David Molk officially left the game earlier this month.