The off-season. A time for football fans to dream about their team drafting their favorite college prospect, signing the ideal free agent, or trading for that missing piece. For a lot of Dallas Cowboys fans, Earl Thomas is that dream, but a dream that could very much become reality.
Let that sink in for just a minute…
Earl Thomas, a Dallas Cowboy?
It seems a little unreal, but it could be a very real possibility thanks to the stars aligning and certain things falling into place at the right time. Let me show you what I mean:
- The Seattle Seahawks and Earl Thomas are possibly parting ways.
- Earl Thomas voicing his desire to play for the Dallas Cowboys.
- The Dallas Cowboys need to upgrade the safety position.
- And most importantly, the hiring of Kris Richard to become the Cowboys new passing game coordinator and defensive backs coach.
Okay, maybe the stars aren’t exactly aligning, but I still like the odds of the Dallas Cowboys landing Earl Thomas. Things of course have to happen in order for this to become a real possibility though.
The Seattle Seahawks have to decide what they want to do with Thomas. He will become a free agent after the completion of the 2018 season and is set to account for $10.4 million against the salary cap this season. The Seahawks could save $8.5 million by releasing him, but they will probably explore the possibility of trading him first.
That of course is where the Dallas Cowboys come in.
Like I mentioned earlier, Earl Thomas has already voiced his desire to play for the Cowboys, telling Jason Garrett “come get me” after the Seahawks defeated Dallas on Christmas Eve. That statement has to be stuck in Garrett’s head even now, especially with the current need at the safety position.
The Dallas Cowboys have to have at least a little bit of interest in bringing in Earl Thomas, if not a lot. That interest might just have increased after the recent new hiring of Kris Richard, who knows Thomas very well and has coached him in some capacity since he entered the league.
In fact, Kris Richard joined the Seattle Seahawks the same time as Earl Thomas in 2010. Here’s a breakdown of Richard’s coaching credentials with the Seahawks:
- Assistant defensive backs coach (2010)
- Cornerbacks coach (2011)
- Defensive backs coach (2012-2014)
- Defensive coordinator (2015-2017)
As you can see, Richard has been a part of Earl Thomas’ professional career every step of the way. He knows the All-Pro safety better than just about anyone and could end up being a key factor in putting a star on his helmet.
Of course, this is all conjecture at this point. The Dallas Cowboys and the Seattle Seahawks would likely have to work out a trade that would be mutually beneficial to both parties. But, any concerns the Cowboys might’ve had about acquiring Earl Thomas via trade can now be squashed because of Kris Richard’s first-hand knowledge.
It would seem that compensation is really the only hurdle standing in the way of making a lot of Cowboys fans dream become a reality. Earl Thomas could very well be suiting up for the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. Here’s to hoping the stars actually align…
