ARLINGTON, TX – DECEMBER 24: Rod Smith #45 of the Dallas Cowboys leaps over Earl Thomas #29 of the Seattle Seahawks on a carry in the second quarter of a football game at AT&T Stadium on December 24, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images)
If the Seahawks aren’t going to pay Earl Thomas they should trade him. The Cowboys made a strong offer last week that Seattle foolishly declined.
It’s pretty clear the Seahawks have no intention of giving Earl Thomas the sort of contract he’s looking for. That’s why Seattle should be very open to trading their talented safety. Surprisingly, the team recently turned down a very strong offer from the Cowboys.
Adam Schefter is reporting that Dallas offered Seattle a second-round pick within the last week to get a deal done prior to the start of the regular season. Amazingly, the Seahawks turned them down. It appears the franchise still believes they can get a first rounder for their 29-year-old safety.
It’s very likely the haul the Oakland Raiders recently received for Khalil Mack is encouraging the Seahawks to hold out. To the surprise of most of the league, the Bears ponied up two first-rounders for the Pro Bowl defensive end. It’s easy to see why Seattle’s front office would conclude they should be able to get a single first-rounder for their own Pro Bowler.
They are ignoring a few key differences between Mack and Thomas. Obviously, the difference in the two players’ ages is a concern. Mack is just two years younger, but defensive ends tend to age better than safeties. It’s a fair bet that Mack will maintain his level of play for longer than Thomas.
The heightened value of pass rushers in the NFL also must be calculated. In sharp contrast, the safety market this offseason has shown us that teammates really believe they can find players at that position on the cheap. Quite a few starting caliber safeties languished in free agency for a long time this summer. Parting with significant draft capital for a veteran safety just isn’t a move many teams are going to be willing to make.
That’s why the Seahawks should have accepted the Cowboys’ most recent offer. A second round pick probably represents the top of the market for a safety of Thomas’ age. The fact that he’s going to want a big money contract from his new team further complicates matters. In all honesty, the Seahawks should be glad that Dallas doesn’t see that as a non-starter for this deal.
As it stands, it’s very likely Thomas is going to stay in Seattle all season long. Perhaps the two sides can find common ground on a new contract, but that isn’t very likely. It’s very possible the Seahawks have passed up their last chance to get significant value in exchange for their veteran safety.