The Dallas Cowboys and the other 31 teams that make up the NFL are still a few weeks away from opening up training camp. That means we still have a couple weeks of practically nothing to talk about. So, I thought I would dive into the trade rumors the Cowboys seem to be connected to and try to determine how true or false they may be.
Today, I'm going to focus on two different players that make sense for the Dallas Cowboys… Seattle Seahawks Safety Earl Thomas and New England Patriots Tight End Rob Gronkowski. Both players are rumored to be on the trade block and surprisingly enough would be a huge upgrade if somehow acquired by the Cowboys.
Now, I don't want to focus on what it would take to acquire either one of these players, their current contract demands, or how they would fit in with the Cowboys current salary cap situation. Instead, I want to focus on how true or false these trade rumors may be.
Let's start with the player who has been linked to the Cowboys the most…
Safety, Earl Thomas
The speculation that the Dallas Cowboys should trade for Earl Thomas has been going on for a while. It all started when the Seattle Seahawks beat the Cowboys in the second to last game last year. Thomas followed Jason Garrett into the locker room and told him to “come and get me” if they can. The trade rumors haven't stopped ever since and probably won't until something is finally finalized one way or another.
There is no denying the impact Earl Thomas could have on the backend of the Dallas Cowboys defense. He is arguably the best Free Safety in the game and despite the fact he is getting up there in age, he is still an impact player. He would immediately upgrade the secondary and help the young Cowboys DBs transition into Kris Richard's defensive scheme.
I think this trade rumor is still very much alive. Thomas has continued to be a no-show with the Seahawks so far while he awaits them to confirm his long-term security one way or another. As his contract remains unsettled, so does his future in Seattle. He could force their hand by holding out when training camp gets underway, which could help facilitate a trade with Dallas.
Verdict: TRUE
Tight End, Rob Gronkowski
The trade rumor involving New England Patriots Tight End and the Dallas Cowboys is probably a little under the radar, especially when compared to all of the talk surrounding Earl Thomas. But, Gronkowski might actually make more sense when it comes to making more of an impact between the two.
After Jason Witten unexpectedly decided to hang up his cleats and announce his retirement, the Dallas Cowboys were kind of left in limbo at the TE position. They did use a middle round draft pick to provide more depth, but as things stand right now there is no clear-cut starter heading into the season, especially not someone of Gronk's talent.
If the Dallas Cowboys are serious about making the offense more “Dak-friendly”, then Gronkowski absolutely makes sense. When it comes to mismatch players in the passing game, they don't come much better than Gronk. There simply isn't anyone in the NFL who can cover him in a one-on-one situation, which makes him a tremendous threat in the passing game. But, he is equally effective as a blocker, which is something the Cowboys highly value.
Unfortunately, I don't think the Cowboys will go down this road. Gronkowksi doesn't really have the same kind of link to Dallas as Thomas (Kris Richard). Although he would immediately make the Cowboys offense better, I just personally don't see them being interested.
Verdict: FALSE
