Unfortunately, the 2018 NFL Draft came and went without the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks being able to work out a trade involving All-Pro safety Earl Thomas. The Cowboys interest in Thomas very was real, but the asking price was simply too high for them.
Earl Thomas still remains a member of the Seattle Seahawks right now, but that doesn't mean the Cowboys pursuit of him is over. In fact, it could just be heating up.
The Dallas Cowboys showed resiliency and patience throughout the draft and let things come to them instead of trying to make things happen. I think this is the same kind of approach we could see from them now and why there is still a real possibility Earl Thomas is wearing a star on his helmet 2018.
It may be a pipe dream, but I don't think the door is shut on this happening just yet. One could even argue that the leverage in this ordeal has now shifted in the Dallas Cowboys favor.
No other team in the NFL was willing to pay Seattle's asking price in the draft to acquire Earl Thomas. That should lower expectations as to what they had hoped to get in return for #29. They were almost able to bamboozle the Cowboys out of a second-rounder, but Dallas stood firm.
Of course, Seattle could choose not to budge at all on their asking price, especially considering they know that Dallas is still looking to possibly upgrade the safety position.
Here's the kicker though. Earl Thomas could force matters by the way he approaches offseason workouts. He could force the Seahawks hand if he chooses to not show up because of the long-term security he seeking.
If Thomas and the Seahawks can't come to terms on a contract extension, Seattle runs the risk of losing him after the 2018 season without receiving any compensation. They would probably prefer to avoid such a thing from happening.
This is where the Dallas Cowboys come in. They can offer Seattle a third or fourth-round 2019 draft pick that escalates depending on playing time and the amount of defensive snaps he plays in 2018. This could be the win-win situation both teams are looking for.
I have no doubt my mind that the Dallas Cowboys would go for this deal in a heartbeat. Earl Thomas would immediately upgrade their secondary and allow Xavier Woods a little more time to develop. Unfortunately, it takes two to tango.
This is a dance that will continue to go on until the trade deadline ends. Hopefully, the Dallas Cowboys are the one leading this tango.
