Latest On Cowboys, Seahawks’ Earl Thomas
Friday may be the de facto deadline for the Cowboys to pull off a trade for Seahawks safety Earl Thomas. The Seahawks have had some recent talks with Dallas about the star defender and we’ll know by tonight whether the Cowboys will land him, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. 
It’s only logical that a blockbuster trade for Thomas would have to involve picks from Day 2 of the draft. The Cowboys are not willing to sell out for Thomas, as Ed Werder detailed earlier this week, but they do have a second round pick (No. 50) and a third round pick (No. 81) to work with if a deal is within reach. Still, Rapoport classifies the odds of a deal coming together as something of a longshot.
Last month, it was reported that the Seahawks were seeking a first round pick and a third round pick for the six-time Pro Bowler. The ship has sailed on netting a 2018 first-round choice, but Seattle, in actuality, could be willing to take less.
Meanwhile, the Cowboys will have to consider the cost of a new contract for Thomas in any potential trade. The safety is entering the final year of a four-year, $40MM deal and they’d probably have to hammer out a sizable extension before pulling the trigger on a deal.
Packers Acquire No. 18 From Seahawks
The Packers have acquired the No. 18 overall pick from the Seahawks, per Albert Breer of TheMMQB.com (Twitter link). Green Bay will pick up No. 18 and No. 248 (seventh round) from Seattle, which will acquire No. 27, No. 76 (third round), and No. 186 (sixth round) per Jason Wilde of ESPN.com (Twitter link).
The Packers are using the pick on cornerback Jaire Alexander. The Louisville product was considered to be one of the top defensive back’s in the entire draft despite the fact that he was limited to only six games last season. He did appear in 13 games during the 2016 campaign, compiling 39 tackles and five interceptions. Green Bay acquired the No. 27 pick earlier tonight in a trade with the Saints.
We had heard several times that the Seahawks were interested in trading back in the draft. Seattle previously only had one pick during the first three rounds, and this trade will now give them a second selection during this span.
Draft Rumors: Ravens, Seahawks, 49ers, Pats
Let’s dive into some last-minute draft rumors as we anticipate the start of the first round…
- Should the Ravens go on the clock and Mike McGlinchey is off the board, it looks like they will strongly consider UCLA’s Kolton Miller. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets the Ravens are focused on Miller as a McGlinchey contingency plan at No. 16. These two are viewed by many as the top tackles in this year’s draft. Although Baltimore needs a right tackle after cutting Austin Howard, this serves as one of the possible Lamar Jackson destinations. Assuming the top four QB prospects are gone by this point in the draft, it could open up the trade market for the picks in the latter teens with the 2016 Heisman winner still available.
- Albert Breer of SI.com writes that there are several teams interested in moving down, including the 49ers (No. 9), Seahawks (No. 18), Lions (No. 20), Titans (No. 25), and Eagles (No. 32). Seattle would have particular interest in trading their pick if safety Derwin James or any of the top pass-rushers are off the board. Meanwhile, Breer notes that San Francisco could benefit if a quarterback-needy team wants to trade up.
- Ben Volin of the Boston Globe tweets that he keeps hearing Miami defensive lineman Chad Thomas being connected to the Patriots. Thomas didn’t earn a spot on NFL.com’s Daniel Jeremiah’s top-50 list, and he’s ultimately projected to be a third- or fourth-round pick. The senior was plenty productive in 2017, compiling 41 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, and 4.5 sacks.
Draft Notes: Ravens, Seahawks, Saints, Browns
Let’s take a look at some assorted notes as we get ready for the start of the draft…
- There are a number of teams currently picking in the twenties that would be interested in moving up to the teens, reports Jason La Canfora (via Twitter). Interestingly, those teams may have some suitors, as the reporter notes that the Ravens and Seahawks are among the teams interested in trading back.
- Saints assistant general manager Jeff Ireland told Josh Katzenstein of The Times-Picayune that running back Saquon Barkley is the top player on their draft board (Twitter link). “He’s rare,” Ireland gushed. “He’s unique.” Of course, barring some crazy development, the Saints are unlikely to have an opportunity to select Barkley, as they’re only armed with one pick in the first two rounds. Plus, the team is already rostering several talented running backs, including Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram.
- There could end up being a flurry of trades if the Browns select Baker Mayfield with the first-overall pick, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter video). All of the potential scenarios have seemingly stalled trade talks, although Rapoport notes that the Browns (No. 4), Broncos (No. 5), and Colts (No. 6) are among the teams who’d consider moving down. The Bills could be among the teams looking to trade into the top-six range, and the Broncos could ultimately choose to keep their pick if someone like Josh Allen falls into their lap.
- Rapoport also notes (via Twitter) that several prospects are expected to be selected earlier than initially thought: Maryland wideout D.J. Moore, UTSA defensive end Marcus Davenport, and Louisville Jaire Alexander. Davenport and Alexander both landed in the top-20 of Daniel Jeremiah’s rankings, while Moore was listed 37th.
Browns, Colts Lead League In Cap Space
The Browns and Colts have the most cap room of any team in the NFL heading into draft, as Field Yates of ESPN.com (on Twitter) notes. Here’s the official rundown of every team’s cap space for 2018 on the eve of draft weekend:
- Browns – $69.5MM
- Colts – $59.8MM
- 49ers – $43.8MM
- Titans – $35.8MM
- Texans -$35.6MM
- Bears – $24.1MM
- Jets – $21.9MM
- Bills – $19.4MM
- Jaguars – $18.6MM
- Cardinals – $18.1MM
- Redskins -$17.1MM
- Bengals – $16.8MM
- Packers – $16.2MM
- Vikings – $15.5MM
- Broncos – $14.6MM
- Patriots – $13.8MM
- Buccaneers – $12.3MM
- Cowboys -$11.9MM
- Chargers – $11.4MM
- Lions – $9.4MM
- Giants -$9.4MM
- Ravens – $8.8MM
- Seahawks – $7.6MM
- Chiefs – $6.7MM
- Saints – $5.7MM
- Panthers – $5.2MM
- Dolphins – $2.9MM
- Eagles – $2.2MM
- Steelers – $2MM
- Raiders – $1.8MM
- Falcons – $1.3MM
- Rams – $264K
Latest On Cowboys, Earl Thomas
The Cowboys have long been connected with Earl Thomas, but they’re not about to sell out to land the Seahawks safety. A trade for Thomas is not a draft priority for Dallas, a source tells veteran NFL reporter Ed Werder (on Twitter). However, they remain interested in him as a player and they are willing to engage in trade talks if Seattle lowers its asking price. 
In March, it was reported that the Seahawks were asking teams for a first-round pick and a third-round pick to part ways with the six-time Pro Bowler. Seahawks GM John Schneider recently went on the record to say that he expects Thomas to be a part of the team in 2018, but his contractual situation complicates things. Thomas is entering the final year of his four-year, $40MM accord and is pushing for an extension. The safety was absent from the start of Seattle’s offseason program and he has threatened to hold out if he does not get a new deal before the start of the season.
The Seahawks parted ways with stars Michael Bennett and Richard Sherman this offseason, so they are clearly not opposed to trading established veterans. The Cowboys, meanwhile, will have a spot for Thomas if they follow through on their plan to move Byron Jones from safety to cornerback. For a deal to go down, however, Seattle will have to meet Dallas somewhere in the middle.
Details on Sebastian Janikowski Contract
- Sebastian Janikowski‘s one-year contract with the Seahawks is for one year and $2.015MM, according to a source who spoke with Brady Henderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The deal includes a $1.015MM base salary, a $600K signing bonus, a $100K bonus if he’s on the 53-man roster in Week 1, and $300K in per-game active roster bonuses.
Four Teams Work Out DB Will Blackmon
Veteran defensive back Will Blackmon worked out for the Seahawks, Browns, Colts, and Falcons recently, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). Blackmon will turn 34 in October, but he impressed in his workouts and Garafolo gets the sense that he’ll land with a team after the draft. 
Blackmon appeared in 30 out of 32 possible appearances for the Redskins between 2015 and 2016, including 16 starts, but missed Washington’s final cut in 2017. Blackmon auditioned for the Colts in November, but did not sign with a team last season.
The veteran offers experience at both safety and cornerback. Blackmon played almost exclusively at corner between 2013 and 2015, but shifted to safety in ’16 when the Redskins added Josh Norman. The move to safety suited him well as he earned his best marks ever from Pro Football Focus. PFF placed him as the 32nd in the league at the position in that season, ahead of notables like Shawn Williams, Bradley McDougald, and T.J. Ward.
R2 Pick Could Get Earl Thomas Deal Done?
Despite the Seahawks expecting Earl Thomas not to hold out, they still have him on the trade block, John Clayton of ESPN said during a radio appearance with KESN in Dallas (via the Dallas Morning News). Clayton added that the Seahawks would likely be willing to move their three-time All-Pro safety for less than a first-round pick, indicating they would probably trade Thomas for a package featuring second- and fourth-round selections and perhaps something in the 2019 draft. Clayton indicates the Cardinals could use a free safety but that the Seahawks were not going to trade Thomas to an NFC West team. The Cowboys moving Byron Jones to cornerback would open a spot there, and Thomas was vocal about being receptive to a Dallas deal, and they strike Clayton as the top suitor for the 28-year-old defender’s services.
- Pete Carroll said this week the door wasn’t closed between the Seahawks and Colin Kaepernick, but Clayton said this partnership will be unlikely. The longtime ESPN reporter added the Seahawks did work out Kaepernick last year when he visited but did not offer him a contract because Carroll exited the interview with the impression the former 49er still wanted to be an NFL starter rather than a backup.
Might This Be The Year Seahawks Stay Put In 1st Round?
The Seahawks have proven to be the wild cards of the NFL Draft under general manager John Schneider and coach Pete Carroll. One of their constants, though, has been the move to trade back in the first round to collect a higher volume of picks.
ESPN’s Brady Henderson looks into the team’s history of trading back and wonders if this may be the year it decides to stay put. The Seahawks hold the No. 18 overall pick in the draft.
As it stands, the Seahawks don’t have a pick in the second or third rounds of the upcoming draft. They’ve never had fewer than two picks through the first three rounds under Schneider and Carroll.