What is Earl Thomas Now Really?

[Doomsday101]

And for the record, I hope you're right about that.

I'd like nothing more than for Woods to make any Earl Thomas talk completely unnecessary.

Save a 3rd round draft pick and $40 million? Yeah, sign me up for that!

I agree with you. One thing ET brings is experience and consistency in his play even during big moments of the game. I like Woods but I also know he is more apt to make mistakes, I just hope he make more big plays than mistakes. I do think he has a future but it is hard to walk away from a proven player if the opportunity comes. If ET ends up staying in Seattle I’m good with that or if he ends up going to another team, but I would be lying if I said I did not want him in Dallas or that he could not help the Cowboys

 

[Stash]

I agree with you. One thing ET brings is experience and consistency in his play even during big moments of the game. I like Woods but I also know he is more apt to make mistakes, I just hope he make more big plays than mistakes. I do think he has a future but it is hard to walk away from a proven player if the opportunity comes. If ET ends up staying in Seattle I’m good with that or if he ends up going to another team, but I would be lying if I said I did not want him in Dallas or that he could not help the Cowboys

Same here.

And one other factor to me? Reputation.

Earl Thomas has the reputation. And the Pro Bowl accolades and skins on the wall. Even the best quarterbacks will think about testing him, for fear of getting burned. Xavier Woods is an unknown quantity at this point. And that essentially invites quarterbacks to test him.

 

[Doomsday101]

Same here.

And one other factor to me? Reputation.

Earl Thomas has the reputation. And the Pro Bowl accolades and skins on the wall. Even the best quarterbacks will think about testing him, for fear of getting burned. Xavier Woods is an unknown quantity at this point. And that essentially invites quarterbacks to test him.

I agree and it is those critical moments late in the game where some guys freeze or panic and end up allowing the big play that changes the outcome of the game, Thomas does not freeze or panic. I do have high hope for Woods and until or unless a deal is done for Thomas I expect Woods to go out there and make plays for this defense.

 

[T-RO]

You can make deals that the team can get out of quick.

You can if the player and his agent are willing. They aren’t going to give away the final contract.

 

[OmerV]

You can make deals that the team can get out of quick.

It's not a given you can. It depends on the circumstances. I'm confident Thomas will want a significant amount of guaranteed money.

 

[T-RO]

If we get him and sign an extension...I suspect we’ll be real happy early on. After the first year of the new contract I suspect it’s 60-40 we’ll regret the big money. But I might do it anyways. I think he’ll be near all-pro caliber for 2 years.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

Maybe I will be one of the snarky ones and hedge my bet so matter what happens it looks bad for the Cowboys FO.

Examples...

If we get him... I complain we gave so too much in trade picks and gave him too much money cause he is older and on the downside.

If he stays with Seattle....I complain the Cowboys were too afraid to give up a decent pick for a multiple pro bowl player had talent to be the best safety on the team and would also be a leader in the secondary since he is already familiar with Coach Richard.

If we wait till he is a FA to get him... I complain we got in a contract bidding war with another team when we could have traded for him the season before.

On a serious note. . I hope we do get him this off season but I am not holding my breath.

 

[CATCH17]

It's not a given you can. It depends on the circumstances. I'm confident Thomas will want a significant amount of guaranteed money.

Then guarantee it.. Just do it up front.

Call it a 4 or 5 year deal but make it only a 2 year with the guaranteed money up front.

 

[OmerV]

Then guarantee it.. Just do it up front.

Call it a 4 or 5 year deal but make it only a 2 year with the guaranteed money up front.

I may be wrong, but I don't think paying it up front prevents the salary cap hit from being spread out over the original contract length.

 

[Anthonyscottua7]

If Thomas can finish out his career similar to the way Ed Reed did then he’s worth it

I agree with the above quote, plus he can add some much needed leadership that could be unmeasured. I still would look at the kid out of San Fran along with Thomas.

 

[Anthonyscottua7]

Personally, I wouldn't give anything for him...simply because he possibly will be a free agent next year...and I don't think he is the missing link to the Superbowl. He is a talent no doubt but no way would I give up a premium pick.

I kinda like the secondary we have now and would like to see what they will do.

Go Cowboys!

But Jason wants and needs to win now! I do like our secondary but we've been wanting and needing a Safety for so freaking long. Great point about what he would cost, but again I think Jason and his guys need to win now.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

Yeah. You wouldn't care about the cap cost and pay him whatever he wanted and then wonder why you don't have enough money to buy nice things. Lol

Please. Our cap is good shape these days. As with any quality player that you don't draft, you will pay market value for them, if you want them. I am not a big fan of FA spending as a rule, but sometimes, the fit, the player and the time just makes a lot of sense. This is one of those times. He instantly makes this D a better defense. Which is what the goal is, I thought, to put the best team we can out on the field.. But maybe I am mistaken, maybe its better to have a bunch of roll over cap and rookies playing so we can continue to buy nice things.

 

[CATCH17]

I may be wrong, but I don't think paying it up front prevents the salary cap hit from being spread out over the original contract length.

I'm no cap expert either but my understanding is that is how teams do deal.

They offer Crazy money that the player will never get and the only part they will get is the guaranteed so if you just put the money up front I would think you could just let them go after.

 

[Verdict]

I may be wrong, but I don't think paying it up front prevents the salary cap hit from being spread out over the original contract length.

Yeah, but it accelerates into the cap when he is cut so you take your cap *** whipping at that time.

 

[Manwiththeplan]

I’ll do you one better, why is Earl Thomas?

 

[OmerV]

I'm no cap expert either but my understanding is that is how teams do deal.

They offer Crazy money that the player will never get and the only part they will get is the guaranteed so if you just put the money up front I would think you could just let them go after.

It's true that teams do deals like this because it does allow them to get out of some portion of the base salary at the end of the contract, but how much savings that can be is really based on how much of the contract is guaranteed. The more guaranteed money, the less the savings by cutting a guy early. Obviously there have to be people who are better informed on the ins and outs of this than we are though, so I'm going to stop there before I run the risk of saying things that may not be true.

 

[conner01]

Hes got an elite 2-3 years left.

I’m not so sure
He hasn’t been elite the last couple years
If he has so many more years just wait and get him next year without having to give up pickd

 

[conner01]

I agree. As long as the "stealing" doesn't include him demanding $13 million a year.

That’s the issue
It’s not just a pick but a big contract too
He’s not gonna take a fluff deal or he would be signed there. He wants real money that he knows he’s actually gonna get
I wouldn’t mind giving up a 3rd for 3 or so years of him
I wouldn’t mind a contract he would accept for 3 or so years for him
My problem is giving both
That drastically raises the cost and risks

 

[Stash]

That’s the issue
It’s not just a pick but a big contract too
He’s not gonna take a fluff deal or he would be signed there. He wants real money that he knows he’s actually gonna get
I wouldn’t mind giving up a 3rd for 3 or so years of him
I wouldn’t mind a contract he would accept for 3 or so years for him
My problem is giving both
That drastically raises the cost and risks

It has to factor into his own asking price. He can't ask someone yo pay him the moon and give up a quality draft pick to do it.

You can either have reasonable expectations for a contract extension, or you can be stuck playing out the last year of your deal in Seattle. But you can't have it both ways.

 

[Verdict]

Maybe, but it's abundantly clear that the people in the building don't. I disagree with them but that ship has sailed. This one hasn't.



I can see your point. But I can also see a window currently open due to having a cheap quarterback. One soon to be closed.

That's true, Stash. Dak will get paid next year which is going to evaporate some of that available cap. It won't wipe it out next year, but as time goes on from the extensions of Dak and presumably Zeke, and Martin, etc we need to keep an eye on the future of the cap.

I'm not against adding him. I am definitely not in favor of another ****** Dez contract and yes I realize there is something in between.