How an Earl Thomas holdout helps the Dallas Cowboys in multiple ways
By Reid Hanson
Whether you want to add Earl Thomas to the Dallas Cowboys secondary or not, his holdout is good news for the Dallas defense.
If the Dallas Cowboys goal is to be as good as possible at the safety position, then an Earl Thomas holdout is good for multiple reasons. To start with – He’s not only an option himself, but his availability adds to the pool of attainable free safeties already on the market.
Make no mistake – he is on the market. Even though he’s under contract, Earl Thomas’ discontent makes him available to rest of the NFL via trade. And the cost of that trade declines every passing day he skips mandatory team activities.
Cowboys Nation has been speculating an Earl Thomas acquisition for some time. For months is seemed as though the asking price was entirely too high to consider. After all, Earl Thomas just turned 29 last month. He’s only under contract for one more season. And he’s asking for a mammoth contract extension that will likely take him into retirement.
If at any point the Cowboys become concerned about Woods’ ability to play safety, they can pull the trigger on Thomas and offer a pick. If Woods steps up and proves himself in training camp, the Earl Thomas trade talk dies on the vine.
It’s understandable why even some of his biggest supporters in Cowboys Nation are wary of offering much in trade compensation. The first or second round pick Seattle was said to be demanding over draft weekend seemed absurd.
With Thomas now holding out, and willing to take his fines, Seattle’s in a tough spot. Negotiating a deal just became tougher and his distraction threatens to disrupt their season before it even begins. Dallas also appears to be the only interested party in a transaction like this so a bidding war remains unlikely.
Time to evaluate Xavier Woods
I think everyone can agree, the ideal scenario for the Dallas Cowboys is for Xavier Woods to step up in training camp and solidify himself as the undisputed starting free safety this defense needs. Woods is just 22-years-old, he’s under contract for the next three seasons, and he only costs roughly $650,000 annually.
As mentioned earlier, Thomas just turned 29. He’s on the books for over $10 million this season, and he wants a multi-year deal that seeks north of $13 million annually. If Woods can even approach Thomas’ level of play, he’s the preferred choice.
The longer Earl Thomas holds out, the longer the Dallas Cowboys have to evaluate Xavier Woods. If this stretches into training camp, it’s massively beneficial to the Cowboys. The Cowboys can put Xavier Woods to the test while the possibility of Thomas stays alive.
If at any point the Cowboys become concerned about Woods’ ability to play safety, they can pull the trigger on Thomas and offer a pick. If Woods steps up and proves himself in training camp, the Earl Thomas trade talk dies on the vine.
The safety market
As long as Earl Thomas holds out, he’s considered a viable option on the market. And the safety market hasn’t been strong this offseason anyway. Earl Thomas only adds to the supply available.
A player who many of us have been lobbying for, Tre Boston, is surprisingly still on the market. It’s been said he’s had interest around the league but it’s his contract demands that are preventing him from signing.
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With Thomas on the market, Tre Boston loses value. Subsequently, the likelihood Boston settles for a smaller deal increases with Thomas on the market. The Cowboys may not be overly interested in Tre Boston, given his current demands, but if he’s willing to play on a cheaper deal, Dallas would probably give him a look.
In this situation, Dallas leverages Thomas’ availablility to get a cheaper deal on Tre Boston.
Options
Options are good, and the longer Earl Thomas holds out, the better, because his availability keeps options alive for the Dallas Cowboys. He keeps the ticket price on free agent safeties like Tre Boston, low. He buys time for the Cowboys to evaluate their internal option, Xavier Woods, as well.
Playing the center fielder in Dallas’ single-high safety coverage (Cover 3), is no small task. There are only about five or six capable players in the NFL. Earl Thomas is a special player and capable of making this Dallas Cowboys defense special in 2018. Ideally, we all want Xavier Woods to win the spot, but if he can’t, it’s nice to know an All-Pro future Hall-of-Famer is out there as an option.
Compensation
Before the draft Seattle wanted a first rounder for Earl Thomas. It’s been said the Cowboys were only interested in offering a third. With an extended holdout, it’s possible that a conditional third rounder could get the job done.
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Whatever it is, it keeps hope alive and options on the table. Thomas may not be in Dallas pushing Xavier Woods, but you can bet Woods feels No. 29’s breath and is working hard to be the best safety he can be. Options are good, and right now, the Dallas Cowboys have plenty of options.