The Dallas Cowboys have been quiet to start off NFL free agency, but there is still plenty of talent left for the team to make moves in the coming weeks. No player has been linked to the Cowboys longer than Earl Thomas, and the team opted to pass on the seven-time Pro Bowl safety last season after the Ravens released him.
The Athletic’s Bob Sturm believes things could be different now that new defensive coordinator Dan Quinn is with the Cowboys. Quinn has some familiarity with Thomas from their days together in Seattle. Sturm suggests Thomas as a potential bargain option at safety with a projected salary of $2 to $3 million for 2021.
“Oh, the apple of the eye of Cowboys football since that day in December of 2017 when he told Jason Garrett that the Cowboys should come get him,” Sturm detailed. “Trouble is, he has gone from the solution to, apparently, a big enough problem that the Ravens told him to pack his bags. He certainly seemed to have enough off-the-field issues that his allure has dropped so much that no team signed him after his release in 2020. Does Quinn know him well? Yes, but is the juice worth the squeeze anymore? And would the publicity of his signing be worth an upgrade in play that might be accomplished by others on this list without so many worn-down body parts? I know this, we should not take his name off the board when we are talking about this franchise.”
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Thomas Remains Unsigned After the Ravens Released the Safety in August 2020
Seattle S Earl Thomas also told Cowboys HC Jason Garrett to “if y’all have the chance come get me”
Thomas has been linked to the Cowboys since he chased down former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett imploring him to “come get me.” The Seahawks and Cowboys were never able to pull off a trade, but Thomas’ tenure in Seattle had a rocky ending as the star safety flipped off the bench as he was carted off the field in what would be his final game with the team in 2018.
Thomas had a brief stint with the Ravens but was released after just one season with the team. In a league where winning is the highest priority, it is curious that Thomas still has not found a new home after being cut last August. Thomas’ price may be so low now that it could be worth the risk to help fix the Cowboys’ struggling secondary. The safety notched two interceptions and 49 tackles in 15 starts for the Ravens in 2019.
Thomas Was Released After a Practice Altercation with Ravens Teammate Chuck Clark
Earl Thomas posted this video to his Instagram of the coverage breakdown that led to the altercation with fellow S Chuck Clark. He works to clear the air on the matter in this post: t.co/RK5GnkpqVl
Thomas’ release came after a practice altercation with Ravens safety Chuck Clark, but it proved to be more of the tipping point rather than the full reason for the safety’s abrupt exit. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora reported Thomas did not attempt to be “part of the group” with the Ravens defense.
“Then, many around Thomas put up with him, shall we say, showing up not quite ready to practice or missing meetings or doing whatever he cared to do on game day rather than sticking to the scheme or play call,” La Canfora detailed in August 2020. “…But this was different, the sources said. This was personal. There was a sense on that defense that Thomas was not part of the group and did not care to really be part of the group. He had eroded too much trust to really be accepted anymore, and his teammates saw his skills deteriorating and missteps magnifying.”
All this might explain why Thomas is still without a team, but with Quinn in Dallas perhaps the time is finally right for the Cowboys to “come get” the safety. It is hard to imagine Thomas’ asking price will be much lower than it is heading into free agency.
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Cowboys a Fit for 7-Time Pro Bowl Free Agent, Says Analyst