Cowboys still have interest in trading for Earl Thomas
Earl Thomas still doesn’t have a new deal from the Seahawks and the Cowboys still need help at safety. That means a big trade is still possible.
There isn’t a lot of NFL action happening at the moment, but teams are still talking about potential trades. One deal that could still happen before the 2018 season begins is a move that would take Earl Thomas from Seattle to Dallas.
Bryan Broaddus, a writer for the team, recently admitted to the Dallas Morning News that he believes a potential trade for Thomas is “still in play.” To date, Thomas has skipped all Seahawks’ preseason activities in hopes of getting a new deal from the team. Seattle officials have spoken to Thomas’ representatives, but no real progress has occurred in negotiations.
It’s unclear what effect the possible retirement of safety Kam Chancellor might have on the Seahawks’ feelings towards Thomas. On one hand, it could force the Seattle front office to meet Thomas’ demands. Going into the season without Chancellor is going to be a significant challenge. Breaking in two new starters at safety could be disastrous for Pete Carroll’s team.
It’s also possible the Seahawks will view Chancellor’s retirement as a cue they should start to turn the page from the Legion of Boom era. Keeping Thomas would help the team’s defense in the short-term, but he might be deemed too old to help the next competitive Seahawks defense. If the team comes to that conclusion, it makes a lot of sense to move him to Dallas in exchange for future draft compensation.
The Cowboys need to make a similar decision. Jason Garrett is under a lot of pressure to win now in Dallas. Bringing Thomas into the fold might increase his chances of earning a new contract with the Cowboys. Committing significant, long-term money to a safety into his 30s can also cost some front office members their jobs.
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Ultimately, this seems like a deal that could benefit both sides. Seattle really needs to turn the page and rebuild. The Cowboys need to bring in a big name veteran to solidify their secondary. There should be enough common ground to make a deal happen here. It’s just a matter of whether or not Thomas’ contract demands are going to price him out of the Cowboys’ crosshairs.