The Case Against an Earl Thomas Trade

[Stash]

Really? Thomas lost so much goodwill among teammates that Bobby Wagner makes public statements supporting him?

https://www.king5.com/article/sport...holdout-rips-nfl-business-model/281-572629450

NFL players have goodwill toward their own contracts first and their teammates second. If you asked them in private I would bet 95% of the Seahawk players would say they support Thomas and every other NFL player getting every penny they can.

Look up Cliff Aveil's position too. He's no longer beholden to the team and actually speaks his mind. This is a fan's agenda on full display, truth be damned.

 

[Nightman]

Unless they plan on using that 15mil for rollover for next year.
However, it's looking less likely we retain Irving and we already account for any extension for D-Law with him being on the tag.
And it's doubtful we actually sign a big name FA.

You make a good point, go after Thomas lol.
But Thomas would play over Woods, no?

Yes Thomas would play over Woods

He would play over anyone but a healthy EBerry in the NFL

He is that good

and the rollover is a cop-out.... we are already 50m under the cap next year and DLaw is the only major FA...... playoff teams need to spend to the cap and over the cap every year to improve

 

[Stash]

Yes Thomas would play over Woods

He would play over anyone but a healthy EBerry in the NFL

He is that good

and the rollover is a cop-out.... we are already 50m under the cap next year and DLaw is the only major FA...... playoff teams need to spend to the cap and over the cap every year to improve

And they're $100 million under the 2020 cap. This team is in AMAZINGLY good cap space going forward

 

[Kaiser]

It's not even "factually accurate".

Thomas Everett was an underrated piece that helped the Cowboys get over the hump and win their first two Championships. And I've pointed that out before. Some people just don't like to hear it and keep pushing a false narrative.

Also the number of elite safties that have played at the level of ET over time is something you can count on two hands, maybe one.

 

[gjkoeppen]

Past is not prologue. Your statement is factually accurate but I don't think an elite safety like ET has ever been traded before to a team that really was "one player away" on defense that needed a FS with his exact skill set.

If he really was a missing piece to the puzzle, and again I say no, some team that is a lot closer to getting to the Super Bowl this year would say "hey he's that missing piece so we got to go out and get him". How many times this off season or ever have you hear some coach say if we only had a good safety we would win it all? Safeties just aren't missing piece type players.
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[Stash]

Also the number of elite safties that have played at the level of ET over time is something you can count on two hands, maybe one.

Very true.

The special ones are just that - special.

 

[Kaiser]

How many times this off season or ever have you hear some coach say if we only had a good safety we would win it all? .

Please provide a link of any NFL coach ever saying that about any position, in any season, at any point in recorded history. TIA.

 

[Aviano90]

If he really was a missing piece to the puzzle, and again I say no, some team that is a lot closer to getting to the Super Bowl this year would say "hey he's that missing piece so we got to go out and get him". How many times this off season or ever have you hear some coach say if we only had a good safety we would win it all? Safeties just aren't missing piece type players.
.

If Thomas can't be classified as a "missing piece" you're essentially saying the Cowboys have no shot this year, with or without Earl Thomas. When do you foresee this team being a "missing piece" away from adding a top tier talent that we acquire via free agency or trade in order to try and make a SB run?

 

[John813]

Yes Thomas would play over Woods

He would play over anyone but a healthy EBerry in the NFL

He is that good

and the rollover is a cop-out.... we are already 50m under the cap next year and DLaw is the only major FA...... playoff teams need to spend to the cap and over the cap every year to improve

I was agreeing with you that we should use that space on Thomas instead of rolling it over.
I know how good he is, but was just curious on which player he would bench for good lol.

 

[gjkoeppen]

And they're $100 million under the 2020 cap. This team is in AMAZINGLY good cap space going forward

One thing you seem to forget is about half of the teams will have more cap space in 2020 so they will still be able to out bid the Cowboys for the good players. It's sound really good that the Cowboys will have so much cap space but when you put in all of the teams that will have more it will still come down to who can offer more money.
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[Kaiser]

One thing you seem to forget is about half of the teams will have more cap space in 2020 so they will still be able to out bid the Cowboys for the good players.

You make a convincing case for trading for Earl Thomas and extending him now. Please continue, I'm in full agreement if the trade price is right.

 

[Doomsday101]

If he really was a missing piece to the puzzle, and again I say no, some team that is a lot closer to getting to the Super Bowl this year would say "hey he's that missing piece so we got to go out and get him". How many times this off season or ever have you hear some coach say if we only had a good safety we would win it all? Safeties just aren't missing piece type players.
.

They don't say but come draft day they still take FS in the 1st rd. Any position can be a weak link to a ball club and teams try to address those issue be it draft or FA including the safety position

 

[Stash]

One thing you seem to forget is about half of the teams will have more cap space in 2020 so they will still be able to out bid the Cowboys for the good players. It's sound really good that the Cowboys will have so much cap space but when you put in all of the teams that will have more it will still come down to who can offer more money.
.

But I'm also considering how well the Cowboys have drafted and how few of those "good players" they'll have to go out and sign. At this point, it's keeping their own, not chasing anyone else's.

They've drafted very well and actually look to finally be adding two first round talents to the mix in Jaylon Smith and Randy Gregory.

 

[gjkoeppen]

If Thomas can't be classified as a "missing piece" you're essentially saying the Cowboys have no shot this year, with or without Earl Thomas. When do you foresee this team being a "missing piece" away from adding a top tier talent that we acquire via free agency or trade in order to try and make a SB run?

I think the Cowboys, maybe if they get all the breaks and the ball bounces right all year could get to the Super Bowl. Thomas wouldn't be any deciding factor so he's not "a missing piece" type player. I don't know when the Cowboys will be a "missing piece" away because we'll have to wait and see how the WR's do and TE's do. But being a Cowboys fan since day 1, I don't think the Cowboys are a "missing piece" team and they're probably at least a couple three years away. I will always hope they win the Super Bowl, heck I hope they win the Super Bowl every year, but hoping is not very often reality.
.

 

[Sydla]

Look up Cliff Aveil's position too. He's no longer beholden to the team and actually speaks his mind. This is a fan's agenda on full display, truth be damned.

gjpkoeppen largely goes the company line here. The Cowboys haven’t added Thomas and likely won’t add Thomas so he is wired to build the case as to why that’s a wise move.

But if the Cowboys do make that trade, give it time as I suspect down the road he’ll talk about how shrewd a move it was.

 

[armadillooutlaw]

I kinda want to see how the team looks - particularly the defense - in a regular season game or two.
If they look really good then I think you pull
the trigger and add Thomas as the cherry on top. The only weaknesses on defense seem to be 1T and both Safety spots.
If Woods & Price can be respectable - T Mac level - at 1T then that leaves safety as a possible weakness.
Corner, DE and likely LB all seem strong with good depth. Plenty of solid options at 3 tech DT too.

 

[Stash]

gjpkoeppen largely goes the company line here. The Cowboys haven’t added Thomas and likely won’t add Thomas so he is wired to build the case as to why that’s a wise move.

But if the Cowboys do make that trade, give it time as I suspect down the road he’ll talk about how shrewd a move it was.

Thanks.

I thought I was the only one that noticed.

 

[davidariust24]

I may not happen but if he is a free agent next summer and woods doesn't look that good I'd bet we sign him. Guys like him are worth the pay. Knowing what Sean Lee does for the front seven and if he were on another team what would you pay to get him? There is a big difference in our win loss record when he plays and doesn't. Earl thomas would have that same effect on the secondary. The only reason you wouldn't pay is because you don't think he will, but I know he would. Hes forgotten more than woods knows right now. He has that gift like Lee to see plays before they happen. I'd pay for that.

 

[gjkoeppen]

gjpkoeppen largely goes the company line here. The Cowboys haven’t added Thomas and likely won’t add Thomas so he is wired to build the case as to why that’s a wise move.

But if the Cowboys do make that trade, give it time as I suspect down the road he’ll talk about how shrewd a move it was.

It has nothing to do with you're thought that I'm just spewing some company line. Thomas nor any safety is/are the "missing piece" to any playoff puzzle. Safeties just aren't seen as missing puzzle type players by teams. Now fans who often think they're GM's may but real football people don't. If they did Thomas would have been traded to some team that feels they are one player away from winning it all by now.
.

 

[gjkoeppen]

I may not happen but if he is a free agent next summer and woods doesn't look that good I'd bet we sign him. Guys like him are worth the pay. Knowing what Sean Lee does for the front seven and if he were on another team what would you pay to get him? There is a big difference in our win loss record when he plays and doesn't. Earl thomas would have that same effect on the secondary. The only reason you wouldn't pay is because you don't think he will, but I know he would. Hes forgotten more than woods knows right now. He has that gift like Lee to see plays before they happen. I'd pay for that.

First off when you take the defense's best play off the field, the player who is the QB of the defense, it not going to be as good. Second what Gil Brandt said once is there are several values for every player in the NFL. There's the value a fan who wants the team he's a fan of to trade one of it's players. There's the value a fan places on a player they want their team to trade for And there's the value a team places on each player and what they want in trade and the least they would accept. Lastly there's the value the other 31 GM's place on a player and the most they would give up to acquire him. Now Brandt said seldom are the fans value the same as the GM's and since the GM's are the ones that acquire players it means that fans generally place the wrong value on players.

If Thomas does become a free agent next year then every team can start a bidding war for him so there's no guarantee he would end up in Dallas. Although I don't think there will be a big bidding war for him. He'll be 30 going into his 10th season and on the downside of his career and the past couple of years he's missed 7 games due to injury and those injuries come more often the older you get. To many people here think of Thomas of 4 or 5 years ago and think that's what he is today and he's not.
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