For years now the Dallas Cowboys and fans around Cowboys Nation have tried their hardest to put a star on Earl Thomas’ helmet. The Cowboys tried to acquire him via trade from Seattle in 2018 in a NFL Draft day trade offering the 50th overall pick and also tried to sign him in 2019 before being outbid by the Ravens. Could the third time be the charm now that Dan Quinn is part of the equation?
As you probably already know, Dan Quinn and Earl Thomas have a history together. They were both part of the Seattle Seahawks defense during their “Legion of Boom” days and that familiarity with one another provides the connection that could potentially put the All-Pro safety on the Cowboys radar. But, the lack of interest in him last season when he was a free agent suggests otherwise.
Surprisingly enough, Earl Thomas didn’t suit up for another team last year after being released by the Baltimore Ravens. The fact the Dallas Cowboys were in desperate need of secondary help and didn’t reach out to ET would indicate their infatuation with one of the most feared free safeties in the game has finally come to an end. And yet, the idea can’t really be put to bed completely just yet.
The Dallas Cowboys once again find themselves in desperate need of secondary help with a large majority of their defensive backs entering into free agency. At the very least they need a starting free safety to play opposite Donovan Wilson and another starting caliber cornerback. Earl Thomas could potentially be the solution to one of those “needs”.
The seven-time Pro Bowler is an upgrade over any safety the Dallas Cowboys currently have on their roster. It was painfully obvious Darian Thompson isn’t up to the task of being a starting safety, making ET an appealing option. After all, he’s already familiar with Dan Quinn’s system and would provide a much-needed veteran presence in what could be a very young Cowboys secondary.
There is one problem though. Earl Thomas is now labeled as a troubled-but-talented player, so much so not one of the 32 teams chose to sign him as a free agent last season. The Cowboys, like the rest of the league, must have discovered some unfortunate things about his behavior and deemed him not worth the risk.
This is a “never-say-never” business though and the Dallas Cowboys are one of those teams who don’t mind taking risks on talented players. It wouldn’t be all that surprising if they turned to and Dan Quinn for some insight to see what might make Earl Thomas tick. Of course, any insight he can provide is about a half a decade old.
There’s no way of knowing for sure what the Dallas Cowboys think about Earl Thomas, but it does appear that the infatuation with the future Hall of Famer has run its course. Then again, that could all change if their offseason plan to upgrade the safety position fails. If that happens they’ll likely explore all options, including a “troubled” player.
