The Earl Thomas saga isn’t likely to have a very ceremonious ending, meaning that the Seahawks could be in the market for his long-term replacement in the upcoming draft.
Deionte Thompson is another player in a long line of Alabama defensive back standouts, and should be the first safety off the board in the 2019 NFL Draft. Thompson has good range from his free safety spot and the ball skills necessary to create turnovers at the next level. He doesn’t have a great deal of starting experience, but that doesn’t mean quite as much when you consider the caliber of players all fighting for playing time.
Unless the Seahawks truly feel good in the long-term prospects of Tedric Thompson to replace Earl Thomas, they could be squarely in the market for a free safety early in the 2019 Draft.
The NFC East will be a fascinating division to watch this season and part of that is trying to figure out the mystery that is the Dallas Cowboys. The club passed on a wide receiver early in the 2018 Draft, opting instead to help the linebacking corps with Boise State’s Leighton Vander Esch.
If wide receiver isn’t a priority in the 2019 Draft, they could choose to solidify their pass rush with Mississippi State’s Jeffery Simmons. At 6-foot-4, 300 pounds, Simmons is an excellent interior defender who could help the Dallas rushing defense from day one.
Off the field, Simmons is a walking red flag, to put it lightly. For a team that continues to employ Randy Gregory, it’s not out of the question that the Cowboys could make another early-round bet on a troubled but talented defensive prospect like Simmons.