Chatter grows about Cowboys possibly pursuing Earl Thomas

[Cotton]

That's only true if Thomas is hell-bent on never playing another snap in Seattle and I don't think that's the case. I think he's willing to play 2018 in Seattle and go to free agency next year and there's going to be a point where Seattle says "F it" and just rolls with him for another year.

If he truly wants to force his way out then that's a different story.

I'm not talking about what Thomas wants. I'm talking about the team and its leverage to get something for him.

 

[Smitty]

Seems he made Switzer expendable. That’s something.

His acquisition made the coaches deem Switzer expendable.

I'm not so sure that Austin offers more at WR right now than Switzer does. Maybe he's a more proven returner and can do things out of the backfield better, and that might be why they wanted Austin. They kept referencing the Lance Dunbar role, but Dunbar was really nothing as a receiver, mostly just a receiving back. That may be all Austin is right now.

If that's what they want, they don't have room for all these WRs. Maybe it makes sense that Switzer is the one to go since Austin at least replaces his kick and punt return production, and maybe upgrades it. But I don't know if Austin is even a 30-40 catch player this year, and that might be something Switzer would have been capable of this season.

 

[Simpleton]

I'm not talking about what Thomas wants. I'm talking about the team and its leverage to get something for him.

Yea and my point is that Seattle isn't just going to cave for whatever unless Thomas is truly forcing his way out. There is a point where they're just going to hold on to him and I'd imagine there is no way they would move him for a 5th, 6th or whatever.

 

[Smitty]

I think I wait it out. They will be forced to take less with the possibility looming they could get nothing at all.

Be careful how much you strong arm them. They have him under contract for this year. At some point it's worth it to say, Thanks, we'll just take nothing and ride out this year. Offering a dirt low draft choice invites rejection on the grounds that they need to signal that they won't just roll over. They need to maintain negotiating position for future trades.

Be honest, if you can get Earl Thomas re-signed for a reasonable deal, he's worth a third. A fourth would be a bargain. I'd offer a fourth.

Especially because if he's here, this defense is gonna be really good. It will probably be a very low fourth.

 

[Simpleton]

Be careful how much you strong arm them. They have him under contract for this year. At some point it's worth it to say, Thanks, we'll just take nothing and ride out this year. Offering a dirt low draft choice invites rejection on the grounds that they need to signal that they won't just roll over. They need to maintain negotiating position for future trades.

Be honest, if you can get Earl Thomas re-signed for a reasonable deal, he's worth a third. A fourth would be a bargain. I'd offer a fourth.

Especially because if he's here, this defense is gonna be really good. It will probably be a very low fourth.

Yea, this is what I was getting at.

 

[Smitty]

That's only true if Thomas is hell-bent on never playing another snap in Seattle and I don't think that's the case. I think he's willing to play 2018 in Seattle and go to free agency next year and there's going to be a point where Seattle says "F it" and just rolls with him for another year.

If he truly wants to force his way out then that's a different story.

Exactly. If you don't even offer them a fourth, with an eye on trying to force them into taking a 5th or 6th, what is that to them? Nothing. A 5th or 6th round pick is essentially a throw away. You can at least some times find starters in the fourth.

A season of near-Pro Bowl play is worth more than a 5th or 6th for a team with playoff aspirations. Would you take a 6th round pick for David Irving right now? Hell no.

But hey, he may leave next year.

 

[Cotton]

Be careful how much you strong arm them. They have him under contract for this year. At some point it's worth it to say, Thanks, we'll just take nothing and ride out this year. Offering a dirt low draft choice invites rejection on the grounds that they need to signal that they won't just roll over. They need to maintain negotiating position for future trades.

Be honest, if you can get Earl Thomas re-signed for a reasonable deal, he's worth a third. A fourth would be a bargain. I'd offer a fourth.

Especially because if he's here, this defense is gonna be really good. It will probably be a very low fourth.

That's a possibility, but who needs what worse. Do we need him more than they care to get something for him? Granted, a 5th might be too much of a lowball, but I still wait it out. No one else seem to be after him. If you end up at a 4th, fine.

 

[Smitty]

It could be argued that neither side really needs what the other is offering. I'm sure Seattle is more than willing to take a year of Earl Thomas, on a team with playoff aspirations, and then take their 4th or 5th round comp pick in 2020, rather than a 4th or 5th in 2019.

On the other hand, we don't really "need" Earl Thomas either. We can go into the season with what we have, or we could sign Reid, Vaccaro or Boston if we had to.

That being said, Earl Thomas could still have multiple Pro Bowls in his future. Especially if rejuvenated after a trade.

I'd give up a four for him today.

I could probably be talked into a three at some point. Maybe if they kick back a five.

He could make this defense really, really good.

 

[Simpleton]

If we can add Thomas, and he is able to give us Pro Bowl caliber play, we basically just need to stay healthy in order to have an elite defense.

 

[Smitty]

Cowboys defense 2018, best case scenarios for us:

RE: DeMarcus Lawrence / Randy Gregory / Dorance Armstrong
3T: David Irving / Tyrone Crawford / Lewis Neal
1T: Maliek Collins / Jihad Ward / Richard Ash
LE: Taco Charlton / Kony Ealy / Charles Tapper

WLB: Sean Lee / Joe Thomas
MLB: Leighton Vander Esch / Chris Covington
SLB: Jaylon Smith / Damien Wilson

RCB: Byron Jones / Anthony Brown / Marquez White
FS: Xavier Woods / Jeff Heath
SS: Earl Thomas / Kavon Frazier
LCB: Chidobe Awuzie / Jourdan Lewis

 

[Cujo]

Cowboys defense 2018, best case scenarios for us:

RE: DeMarcus Lawrence / Randy Gregory / Dorance Armstrong
3T: David Irving / Tyrone Crawford / Lewis Neal
1T: Maliek Collins / Jihad Ward / Richard Ash
LE: Taco Charlton / Kony Ealy / Charles Tapper

WLB: Sean Lee / Joe Thomas
MLB: Leighton Vander Esch / Chris Covington
SLB: Jaylon Smith / Damien Wilson

RCB: Byron Jones / Anthony Brown / Marquez White
FS: Xavier Woods / Jeff Heath
SS: Earl Thomas / Kavon Frazier
LCB: Chidobe Awuzie / Jourdan Lewis

I would feel pretty damn good about that.

 

[Newt]

Cowboys defense 2018, best case scenarios for us:

RE: DeMarcus Lawrence / Randy Gregory / Dorance Armstrong
3T: David Irving / Tyrone Crawford / Lewis Neal
1T: Maliek Collins / Jihad Ward / Richard Ash
LE: Taco Charlton / Kony Ealy / Charles Tapper

WLB: Sean Lee / Joe Thomas
MLB: Leighton Vander Esch / Chris Covington
SLB: Jaylon Smith / Damien Wilson

RCB: Byron Jones / Anthony Brown / Marquez White
FS: Xavier Woods / Jeff Heath
SS: Earl Thomas / Kavon Frazier
LCB: Chidobe Awuzie / Jourdan Lewis

I think if it cost 2nd next year to have this defensive line up I would be ok with it. Looking at it just on paper, Earl Thomas makes this secondary much much better.

 

[lostxn]

It could be argued that neither side really needs what the other is offering. I'm sure Seattle is more than willing to take a year of Earl Thomas, on a team with playoff aspirations, and then take their 4th or 5th round comp pick in 2020, rather than a 4th or 5th in 2019.

On the other hand, we don't really "need" Earl Thomas either. We can go into the season with what we have, or we could sign Reid, Vaccaro or Boston if we had to.

That being said, Earl Thomas could still have multiple Pro Bowls in his future. Especially if rejuvenated after a trade.

I'd give up a four for him today.

I could probably be talked into a three at some point. Maybe if they kick back a five.

He could make this defense really, really good.

If they didn't take a 3 on draft day, why would they take next year's 4 now?

 

[Cowboysrock55]

If they didn't take a 3 on draft day, why would they take next year's 4 now?

Desperation because they are in rebuild mode and will lose him for nothing after next season. Better to get something instead of nothing.

 

[lostxn]

Desperation because they are in rebuild mode and will lose him for nothing after next season. Better to get something instead of nothing.

If they felt that way, they would have taken the 3. I'm not giving up a 2.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

If they felt that way, they would have taken the 3. I'm not giving up a 2.

It's all about who flinches first now.

 

[Smitty]

It's all about who flinches first now.

Yup. I'm not giving them a two.

But I'm not gonna pull an Iamtdg and only offer a fifth or sixth either.

That paper defense up there looks pretty sick. Like, possibly good enough with our run game to get deep into the playoffs. I'll give a four for sure. That offer stands.

If they engage me in talks, I might be convinced to go to a 3.

 

[Smitty]

I definitely would sign a guy like Navorro Bowman if he's willing to come aboard for cheap. I'd like a depth linebacker that has proven a thing or two in this league, and can be relied upon for some snaps when Lee inevitably goes down again. LVE is great and all, but don't forget he just puts us back at the same number of competent LBs we had last year. And last year when Lee went down, it was still a disaster.

If LVE pans out, and Smith improves, I think those two will be able to hold us together better than Hitchens and Smith did last year. But I'd still like a Bowman type who has been there, done that at a high level.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Yup. I'm not giving them a two.

But I'm not gonna pull an Iamtdg and only offer a fifth or sixth either.

That paper defense up there looks pretty sick. Like, possibly good enough with our run game to get deep into the playoffs. I'll give a four for sure. That offer stands.

If they engage me in talks, I might be convinced to go to a 3.

Yeah I'd offer them a fourth. We are in no hurry now. No reason to give them a better offer.

 

[Cotton]

Yup. I'm not giving them a two.

But I'm not gonna pull an Iamtdg and only offer a fifth or sixth either.

That paper defense up there looks pretty sick. Like, possibly good enough with our run game to get deep into the playoffs. I'll give a four for sure. That offer stands.

If they engage me in talks, I might be convinced to go to a 3.

I'm to the point where I do no want to give up a 3rd for him, so I start at a 5th and work backwards from there. If we end up at a 4th I take it.