Cowboys Beat Writer Bryan Broaddus Feels Earl Thomas Trade Is Still in Play
Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas announced in June he wouldn't attend any team activities until his contract situation was "resolved," and rumors since have suggested he could end up on the Dallas Cowboys.
Bryan Broaddus of the Cowboys' official website told the Shan & RJ show on 105.3 The Fan that he believes Dallas could still be in the mix for the veteran safety (h/t Dallas Morning News):
"The Cowboys have to look at their situation at safety and figure out is this going to be good enough? Are we able to compete for a division? To get in the playoffs? Could Earl Thomas be a guy, could he be a difference maker? ... I feel like that the Earl Thomas situation still is in play. It's just a matter of where Seattle is going to be.
"I don't believe Earl Thomas is going to sit out games for Seattle. I really, really don't. You're talking about a guy that makes over $10 million. Players just don't leave those checks on the field just for principal, for that reason. I think that Seattle is going to have to figure out something. The Cowboys are going to have to figure out something. And maybe they do work something out there."
Thomas has been linked to the Cowboys all offseason.
In June, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Star-Telegram reported that "the Cowboys had already had talks with Seattle about acquiring Thomas at the start of free agency and during the draft. Seattle's asking price has been too high to get a deal done."
Former Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril, meanwhile, noted that Thomas loves the Cowboys:
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.@cliffavril on @Earl_Thomas saying he wants to be in Dallas: Everyone in (the Seahawks) locker room knows Earl loves the Cowboys. He'd leave immediately after work just to catch them play MNF. We didn't take it too serious. Whatever team he dresses up for he's gonna do his thing
3:59 PM - Jul 3, 2018
Thomas reportedly told Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett to make a move for him following a December matchup between Seattle and Dallas:
Thomas did clarify those remarks for reporters later, per Jeremy Bergman of NFL.com:
"I've always been a Cowboys fan growing up. The biggest thing when I said, 'Come get me,' I didn't literally mean, 'Come get me now.' I'm still in the prime of my career, I still want to be here. But when Seattle kicks me to the curb, please, the Cowboys, come get me. You know? This is the place where I want to be when they kick me to the curb. So that's what I meant. People don't take me too serious. That's just who I am."
Thomas, 29, is entering the final year of his contract and is seeking a long-term extension:
It's unclear if the Seahawks will seriously entertain dealing the three-time Pro Bowler, who remains one of the best safeties in football. Pro Football Focus ranked him as the No. 66 player in all of football last season, with Sam Monson writing, "There are few players that impact a scheme as much as Thomas does in Seattle, as his range and acceleration allows the Seahawks to deploy players in unusual ways but still be covered on the back end."
If Seattle isn't interested in trading Thomas, however, and he becomes a free agent after the 2018 season, it isn't hard to imagine which team will get his first meeting. Thomas seems likely to play for the Cowboys at some point.