Getty The Cowboys could pursue Earl Thomas in free agency.
The last time fans saw Earl Thomas he was flicking off the Seahawks sideline while being carted off the field after an unfortunate injury. Thomas has been outspoken about his desire to join the Cowboys and will be in the driver’s seat this offseason.
Thomas no longer needs to rely on a trade to get to Dallas as he will be a free agent. The question is whether the Cowboys will want to pay up for a player coming off a serious injury.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Thomas underwent surgery in October where a rod was inserted into his leg but is expected to be back to 100 percent during the offseason.
“#Seahawks S Earl Thomas, who suffered a leg fracture last Sunday, will have surgery to have a rod inserted this week, source said. That increases the chance of healing and lowers refracture rates. Thomas will be 100% long before free agency,” Rapoport tweeted.
Thomas posted a video of the rehab process on October 26th.
Thomas Said Cowboys Coaches Came Up to Him Before the Seattle-Dallas Regular Season Game to Tell Him a Trade Was Going to Happen
Prior to Thomas’ injury, he had a dominant performance in the Seahawks regular season matchup with the Cowboys. Thomas had two interceptions and was a big reason why the Seahawks were victorious. Thomas noted that Cowboys coaches were coming up to him before the game and talking about a potential trade happening.
“Yeah, of course. I heard chatter,” Thomas told The News Tribune. “People were coming up to me and saying that a trade might happen. Even pregame a couple of Cowboys coaches were up there, trying to play psychological games, but they were like, ‘Are you ready for the trade tomorrow?’”
The Cowboys were not willing to meet the Seahawks asking price and eventually ended up trading for wide receiver Amari Cooper instead. Now, the Cowboys will have an opportunity to sign Thomas outright this summer. Cowboys defensive coordinator Kris Richard coached Thomas with the Seahawks.
According to Over the Cap, the Cowboys will have more than $54 million in cap space in 2019. This is more than enough to make a run at Thomas, but Dallas also has other goals when it comes to retaining their own players. USA Today reported DeMarcus Lawrence, Ezekiel Elliott and Cole Beasley are likely to be priorities this offseason.
Thomas and the Cowboys will both be in control this offseason. The question is whether Thomas is still expecting a massive payday even after his injury and how much the Cowboys are willing to spend to sign the safety.
The 49ers Are Already Recruiting Thomas
The Cowboys are not the only team that will likely have interest in Thomas. The 49ers appear to be in the mix with former Legion of Boom teammate Richard Sherman making it known he would like to play with Thomas again.
“If they need me to be [a recruiter], I have no problem with it,” Sherman said per KNBR. “This is a pretty attractive destination as is…I’d love to have him back in the locker room. But I’m sure he’ll have a plethora of opportunities, and I’m sure we’re going to throw our hat in the ring.”
Niners wide receiver Marquise Goodwin was seen hanging out with Thomas at the Sugar Bowl. It will be interesting to see who pursues Thomas when free agents can sign with teams on March 13.
Cousin Earl hanging with Marquise Goodwin 👀
