For nearly three years two things have been synonymous with each other, The Dallas Cowboys and Earl Thomas. It all started once the star safety approached former head coach Jason Garrett following a 2017 Cowboys loss to the Seahawks and requested for the team to “come get me”. That was enough to throw Cowboys Nation into a frenzy with the fan base starved for an elite safety ever since the days of Darren Woodson. Ultimately, the fan base was disappointed time and time again.
Fast forward three years later, after the original Dallas Cowboys Earl Thomas saga, Earl Thomas 2.0, the Jamal Adams saga version 1.0 and 2.0, and now we have come full circle to Dallas Cowboys Earl Thomas saga 3.0. The unexpected resurgence of the played out drama has surfaced in the wake of Thomas’ release from the Baltimore Ravens. This is only a year removed from signing with the team as a free agent last season and helping lead them to a league best record before a divisional round playoff upset. A highly controversial and scandalous incident involving his brother and his wife during the offseason sparked the idea of his release from the Ravens. An on the field encounter with one of his teammates was the straw that broke the camels back and a loophole in his contract regarding conduct detrimental the the team allowed the team to release him without incurring a major financial blow. Now that he has become available, predictably the Dallas Cowboys have been mentioned as the prime candidate to sign the new free agent Earl Thomas. Should they jump at the opportunity or proceed with caution?
There are obvious reasons why it makes a lot of sense for the Dallas Cowboys. the Safety position remains and big question mark, not only this season but for the foreseeable future. Earl Thomas’ best years are behind him but he is still a major upgrade over what the Dallas Cowboys have at the position now. That is no disrespect to Xavier Woods or Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, nor to one of the younger guys like Donovon Wilson or Darian Thompson. Thomas is a future hall of famer and for several years was the undisputed best safety in the league. Earl Thomas would also be a great fit for the Dallas Cowboys. Additionally, the cost is likely going to much much lower than it previously was given all of the off the field issues and the slight decline in on the field production. Also of note, is that the recent restructuring of Tyron Smith‘s contract does allow for a little more cap flexibility.
There are several reasons for the Dallas Cowboys to hesitate in pursuing Earl Thomas. As stated earlier, this is not the same Earl Thomas that the Dallas Cowboys were interested in signing three years ago. He is older and his skills and ability have declined. Furthermore, at 31 years old he would not exactly solidify the long term future at the safety position. Thomas also has a pretty substantial history of significant injuries so durability was and remains a concern despite staying healthy in 2019. The major concern at this point are the character concerns. The off the field stuff is one thing but he has had a recent history of conduct detrimental to his team which is especially concerning on this Dallas Cowboys team. It began with the drama with the Seahawks after he approached Jason Garrett to be recruited to the Cowboys. That led to very public demands for a pay raise to remain with that team and concluded with Thomas flipping the bird to his own sideline following a season ending injury in 2018. Then with his most recent club the Baltimore Ravens, he was cut from the team after arguing and allegedly punching a teammate. As Blogging the Boys writer Dan Rogers points out:
Pete Carroll and John Harbaugh are two of the elite coaches in the league. If neither of those guys want anything further to do with Thomas, maybe Jerry Jones would be wise to follow suit and step aside.
At the right price, signing Earl Thomas is tempting and exciting all at the same time. My personal preference is that the Dallas Cowboys make a hard pass and let Earl Thomas ride off into the sunset with another suitor. The biggest reason for this is that I believe under Mike McCarthy the team has built a great culture and they believe in one another. Comments made by various team members and the by Gerald McCoy, who was released after a season ending injury but still has the desire to mentor his young former teammates, are evidence to this. Bringing in a potentially volatile personality like Earl Thomas, at this advanced stage in his career, to me is more risk than potential reward for a position that has become devalued recently. Time will tell if the Dallas Cowboys will heed the advice of those that share my opinion and whether or not that will have been the right decision.
*Photo by Mike Morris https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/legalcode