Earl Thomas rumors shutting down now for the Seahawks
Earl Thomas and the Seahawks have been running on the trade rumor mill for months. It’s about to shut down as the second round of the NFL draft ends.
The Seahawks haven’t exactly made it a secret that their All World safety Earl Thomas is available for the right price. That’s the key phrase right there; the right price. From months it was said Seattle wouldn’t take less than a first and third round pick. Then it became at least a second round pick, plus. The plus could be a decent player, or a future high pick, say a 2019 second rounder.
Seattle reported they received two trade offers for Thomas today. You’ll notice that Earl Thomas still reports to the Seahawks. There’s good reason for that. No one is making the deals it takes to get a player like Thomas.
Now that the second round of the 2018 draft has wrapped up, it’s less likely then ever that Earl Thomas will be wearing a different uniform on 2018. Not that a trade can’t possibly happen, but the Seahawks aren’t letting Thomas go during the draft for any package that doesn’t include a second round pick. And the second round is done.
Look, it’s possible that they’d take a third round pick for tonight with a second and third in 2019, but no one is giving them that deal. Look at the big trades that have happened so far in 2018. The Dolphins traded away Jarvis Landry for a 2018 fourth round and a 2019 seventh round pick. Miami couldn’t even get a trade partner for Ndamukong Suh, so wound up releasing him. Practically no one is getting in these trades in 2018.
We’re not out of the woods yet, but yeah, we’re out of the woods
Remember, I said practically no one. The only possible type of deal right now is this one. The Kansas City Chiefs sent Alex Smith to Washington for corner Kendall Fuller (ranked the fifth best in the league last season) and a third round pick for 2018. So yes, if Dallas, for instance, sends guard Zack Martin and a third round pick for Earl Thomas, the Seahawks would snap that deal up in a heartbeat.
But that deal isn’t happening, because not even Jerry Jones is that crazy. As great as Earl Thomas is, you don’t trade a 27 year old guard at the top of his game and a good draft pick for an older player. Especially when that older player is making more than four times as much as your guard, and he’s looking for a bigger contract. I happen to think Earl Thomas is worth it, but I’m pretty sure the Cowboys don’t.
Related Story: Division rivals didn't sleep during Draft Day One
So relax, 12s. The man who has arguably been the best player on the Seahawks in the Pete Carroll era, Earl Thomas, isn’t going anywhere. At least not tonight.