Earl Thomas Speculation Heats Up

The Baltimore Ravens’ relationship with Earl Thomas has been a contentious one over the past few months. Tensions between Thomas and the Ravens finally came to a head over the weekend. The Ravens then released Thomas. An altercation between Thomas and a teammate is what led Baltimore to cut ties and release Thomas completely.

What is the next step for Thomas? After Seattle coach Pete Carroll and Baltimore coach John Harbaugh both give up on you, where do you look next? Every team could use a free safety the caliber of Thomas, but not the teams want to deal with a player that has had problems in the locker room. Examining the top contenders to land Thomas is now necessary.

One team that recently sent an all-pro safety to Seattle would have a need for a player with the talents of Thomas. The New York Jets have a hole at the safety position after Jamal Adams was traded to the Seahawks. The Jets’ defense is talented, and it would not be out of the realm of possibility for them to make an offer to Adams.

The second team that will likely be in the mix for Thomas is the Philadelphia Eagles. Philadelphia’s secondary was not impressive last season. Thomas coming into Philadelphia would help the Eagles’ secondary become more consistent for the 2020 season. The Eagles also have the needed salary cap room to at least sign Thomas for this season and work out a plan for future years if things go well.

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Meanwhile, the New England Patriots have had numerous players opt out of playing the 2020 season. Bill Belichick has not been afraid of taking a risk on a player that has caused problems in the locker room, just look at Randy Moss for example. If a player still has value on the field and is willing to cut the Patriots a deal contract wise, then Belichick will certainly attempt to sign the player. Earl Thomas fits that description accurately. Thomas’ skills have not diminished much on the field and the Patriots are in need of a player with his skill set in the secondary.

The final team that is a likely landing spot is the Dallas Cowboys. Dallas and Thomas have been tied together several times in the past. When Thomas was a free agent in 2019, Dallas was considered the prime target for the former member of the Legion of Boom. Dallas has upgraded the secondary this season drafting Trevon Diggs and signing Ha-Ha Clinton-Dix during the offseason. The Cowboys have made other moves with the additions of Aldon Smith and Dontari Poe, displaying that they have not been afraid to make a deal this offseason. You can bet that Jerry Jones and company are thinking things over.

Wherever Thomas goes, that team is going to get an extremely talented player. The team that adds him will need to figure out if his talent outweighs some drama in the locker room. Weighing the risk-reward will be key for the team that signs Thomas. Thomas is an instant upgrade to a secondary, and as long as his disruptions are minimal, he is most certainly worth adding for the 2020 season.

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