OWINGS MILLS, Md. — In his first defensive series as a Raven, Earl Thomas III drops into a zone against the Dolphins. He knifes in front of Kenyon Drake, dives and intercepts a Ryan Fitzpatrick pass.



After a return of 14 yards, Thomas is at the heart of a purple party with eight teammates around him.



On the sideline, it gets a little crazy. One assistant coach is particularly excited. “That’s Earl Thomas!” he yells. “That’s motherf—— Earl Thomas! We got Earl Thomas back there!”



Yes, this was Earl Thomas, who had been the centerpiece of the Legion of Boom, the best player on the best defense in recent NFL history.



This was Earl Thomas, who had more interceptions than any safety in the game and whose name is often preceded by the phrase “future Hall of Famer.”



This was Earl Thomas, known as a hard, serious man with a hard, serious stare, the player who said goodbye...