Raiders should trade for Earl Thomas immediately

Earl Thomas wants out from the Seattle Seahawks, and one of the destinations he would prefer is Oakland. The Raiders would be foolish not to make it happen.

The Oakland Raiders are terrible defensively. Earl Thomas is a really good defensive player. Earl Thomas wants to play for the Oakland Raiders. Something needs to be done.

Thomas, 29, is reportedly putting his Seattle-area home on the real estate market, as he continues to show he’s done playing for the Seahawks. The former All-Pro has not received a contract extension, and with his four-year, $40 million deal set to expire this winter, Thomas is preparing for life after the Legion of Boom.

Frankly, Seattle needs to move him considering the team is in a rebuild and Thomas is both an aging player and an unhappy camper with trade value. The 2010 first-round pick has reportedly told people within the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders that those clubs are places he would like to be, and with the gaping holes the Raiders have on that side of the ball, they need to pick up the phone.

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General manager Reggie McKenzie has built a competent offense, but he’s failed to match that production on the other side of the ball. Over the past three seasons, the Raiders have ranked 22nd, 26th and 23rd in total defense. Thomas would be an immediate upgrade over the current duo on the back end of Obi Melifonwu and Karl Joseph, allowing the former to move into more of a hybrid role.

If Oakland is serious about competing in the tough AFC West, adding a player the caliber of THomas would be a slam dunk. It can be argued whether the move would vault the Raiders above the likes of the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, but there’s no arguing how much Thomas would improve the secondary.