“And I think it’s the sort of the same thing with Earl Thomas,” Woodson added.
“This is a young secondary. I mean extremely young, especially in the cornerback position. You bring in a guy like Earl Thomas; he’s going to lift the entire secondary. Not only the secondary, but the linebackers as well because of the knowledge of the game: he’s a coach that’s going to be on the field, basically, an extension of the coaching staff. He’s familiar with [defensive backs coach Kris] Richard. They know each other extremely well, and he knows this defense like the back of his hand.
And there is not a guy in this league that you’re going to outwork. You will not outwork Earl Thomas as far as preparation and getting ready for games. He’s just that type of football player. And I think he would help this team tremendously as far as… taking the ball away. That will increase, and that is a big problem this secondary had had over the years. They haven’t taken the ball away, and that absolutely changes with Earl Thomas.”
“Here’s my issue with the Cowboys. There’s only a limited time. I mean, we know how this league works: you have a limited window of growth, especially with contract situations that are going to be coming up with Zeke [Elliott] and with Dak [Prescott] and those guys, DeMarcus Lawrence, so many players. They’re all coming up at some point. There’s a limited window you have to maximize those young men, and if you don’t build around them and put them in successful situations and have offensive minds or defensive minds that can really lift their game, you’re doing them an injustice. You’re doing them a complete injustice. And that’s a shot right at Jerry Jones. Jerry Jones, [and] Stephen Jones need to surround their young talent with either coaches or players that can really help lift those young stars to the next level.”