Earl Thomas appears to be staying put in Seattle, but the Cowboys’ discussions about a deal that would send the All-Pro safety to Dallas hit a snag when the prospect of second-round compensation surfaced.
The Cowboys did not want to surrender their 2018 second-round pick for Thomas, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. While a third-rounder and “a lot more” may have been enough to seal this deal, per Rapoport, the sides could not come to an agreement and Thomas remains a Seahawk.
Dallas ended up taking Connor Williams with the No. 50 overall pick. Thomas is entering his age-29 season and has one more year remaining on his contract. Should he reach free agency in 2019, it’s possible the Cowboys could pursue him again then. But for now, the three-time All-Pro remains as the centerpiece of the revamped Seattle secondary.
John Schneider characterized Thomas-centric trade talks as discussions that did not reach the final stages. The Seahawks had set a higher price — reportedly at a first- and third-round pick — for Thomas in the weeks leading up to the draft, but it appears they lowered their price come draft weekend. But no team was willing to meet the reduced asking price.
Set to move Byron Jones to cornerback, the Cowboys are rather thin at safety. They are on the lookout for veteran help at the position, per Jerry Jones.
JJ Wilcox.
JJ I believe is a strong safety and not a free safety which they need. They need a centerfielder, not someone who can lay the wood on players in the box.
Corn beef and hash
Pull the trigger!
U had the chance to get Thomas for a 2nd rd pick and they didn’t do it. That’s why the cowboys are going backwards and I’m a cowboy fan. Isn’t Thomas the best safety in the league
They feel good about what they have in Heath/ Frazier/ Woods, which I do too. And for only 1 year guaranteed, I too think I’d rather have Connor Williams.
You can also try to get him one year later for nothing but a contract.
Calm down bro. They solidified their line with that pick and they’re saying Dallas still wants him. Give it a few weeks.
Yes. I’m a Seahawks fan, he can change games single handed. Easily worth a 2
Once Connor Williams was staring them in the face, I wouldn’t have not made that trade either. Cheap high talent player for 4 years or an highly paid free agent style signing plus giving up a 2nd round pick.
If they would have offered it before the draft I would have been all over giving it up but Shehawks held out too long and the pick became more valuable than a 29 (turns 29 next week) extremely paid former all pro.
Dallas still wants him and wouldn’t be surprised if they trade for him in upcoming weeks. Probably why they didn’t draft a safety.
ET is too valuable to the Seahawks. Even if he walks, the Seahawks get a 3rd round comp out of it, but that’s after another season at a reasonable salary. They could also franchise him next year if an extention can be reached. There is no reason to move him, and certainly no urgency.
*can’t* be, rather. Hoping ‘Hawks can extend him. He’s even more valuable with the younger reinforcements playing around him now.
He’s only going to yield a 4th round comp pick, so if a 3 is offered, best to take it and call it a win.
Seahawks are better off keeping him than picking up a 3rd round pick. That is a no brainer
Safety is not a position you trade a 1st, 2nd, or 3rd round pick for. And Thomas was made better by having a superb secondary around him which he in turn made better as well. Dallas doesn’t have that.
He had very little help last year and was dominant with that speed and hitting
While I’d agree with most of what you said, you can also say the inverse is true and that he made the others in the secondary better with him on the field.
Yeah. Earl is the most important piece. We have seen that first hand. Seahawks were still competitive last year with Sherman and Chancellor out. Earl was still there. The previous year, with Sherman and Chancellor on the field, but no Earl? It disintegrated quickly.
You got it backwards, the secondary was made better by Thomas, and in fact also the only other player of his cailber is Richard Sherman
Don’t blame them…. Trading a 2nd Rd pick for a 29 yr old safety is something you do to put you over the top, and the Cowboys aren’t close enough that Thomas would do that for them.
Considering the SB champs play in their division and the Giants drafted real well with the first two picks, I’d have pulled that deal. If you’re going to try and win now, may as well go with the player that can make an impact. Sure, you pass on the cheap rookie, but there’s no guarantee they’ll work out.
I totally understand them not doing that, and I’m glad they didn’t. Also on the flipside, Seattle has no reason to take a 3rd for him, and in fact, that would be crazy
He. Makes. Too. Much. It’s not that he isn’t good. Not that he isn’t worth a 1st or 2nd pick, it’s that he makes too much to trade even a 2nd for. That salary no matter how good is only 4th or 5th round worthy. High salary guys are rarely traded bc of the cap figure.