Dallas Cowboys: Earl Thomas trade still on the table
The Dallas Cowboys are still trying to acquire Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
After a regular season game between the Seattle Seahawks and Dallas Cowboys in 2017, Earl Thomas made a point to run after Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to tell him — and the Cowboys in general — to come and get him over the course of the offseason.
With just one day before the NFL regular season opens up, Thomas remains a member of the Seattle Seahawks (though only by roster designation at this point) and the Cowboys could use a jolt in their secondary.
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Cowboys have recently ramped up their efforts to acquire Thomas from Seattle:
Within the past week, Dallas upped its offer to the Seahawks for Pro Bowl safety Earl Thomas to a second-round pick, per sources. Seattle wasn’t interested; it wants more.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 5, 2018
As the old saying goes, deadlines spark action.
The Cowboys and Seahawks both realize they are approaching the point of no return here.
It’s clear the teams have had multiple discussions over a long period of time about how they can come together to make Thomas’ apparent dream of playing for the Cowboys come true, but the Seahawks are in a tough position with Thomas being their best defensive player and only under contract for one more year.
The Cowboys would have to surrender what Seattle wants in draft compensation to make this worth Seattle’s while, otherwise, Thomas is forfeiting practice and game checks to them while he holds out for a new deal or trade.
Seattle has no incentive to trade him as they are benefitting financially from him skipping out.
Thomas doesn’t likely want to sit out all season, and he almost undoubtedly wouldn’t, but the Seahawks have until the NFL’s trade deadline to continue fining him and collecting the money from all of the games and practices he’s skipping.
The pressure is on the Cowboys now to make the Seahawks an offer they would accept, and so far, that hasn’t happened.
But, it does feel like something is close.
Next. Earl Thomas trade rumors. dark
If the two teams have been talking over the past week like Schefter notes, something is bound to come together here. The Cowboys’ current starting safeties are Xavier Woods and Jeff Heath, so Thomas would clearly be a major upgrade for that secondary.