Pro bowl safety Earl Thomas was let go by the Baltimore Ravens last week due to conduct detrimental to the team. There were numerous incidents reported that led to the difficult decision to release Thomas. The last incident of getting into a physical altercation with a teammate at practice was the last straw. The Ravens take team chemistry and culture very seriously and felt this move was the best for the team moving forward. There is some buyer beware with bringing Thomas in, but let’s take a look at the five best landing spots for Earl Thomas.
Five Best Landing Spots for Earl Thomas
5.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
There is no question the Bucs are all in this season. The arrival of Tom Brady brings champion aspirations to a team that hasn’t had much success since winning the super bowl in 2003 over the then-Oakland (now Las Vegas) Raiders. The current starting safeties for the Bucs are Mike Edwards and Justin Evans. The Buccaneers had a much-improved defense last year, but adding Thomas could be a game-changer. Thomas might not be the stud safety he was with the Seattle Seahawks a few years ago, but he is still a really good football player. This is a win-now team, and this would be a win-now move. The leadership of Brady, head coach Bruce Arians, and defensive coordinator Todd Bowles could lead them to feel comfortable with any potential locker room issues.
4.) New York Giants
The Giants defense has been a mess for years now. They have poured some draft capital into the secondary, but it hasn’t worked out yet. They did sign free agent cornerback James Bradberry back in March, which is a massive upgrade over what they’ve been touting out there in recent years. The Giants’ starting safeties are Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love. Thomas could be a nice pairing with Peppers. The Giants aren’t likely to sign Thomas because of new coach Joe Judge‘s no-nonsense approach. But, as far as the dynamics of building a team, this is a fit.
3.) Los Angeles Rams
Aaron Donald, Jalen Ramsey, and Earl Thomas would be fun to watch on Sundays. Coach Sean McVay is a player-friendly coach, and this team is not afraid to make bold moves. They traded a ton to acquire Jalen Ramsey at the trade deadline last season. This team was looking to revamp their defense by parting with defensive coordinator Wade Phillips this offseason. Thomas would be an upgrade over Taylor Rapp, and would pair with John Johnson. Teams play a lot of three safety looks anyway, so finding snaps for all three wouldn’t be an issue. Never rule this team out of making a bold move.
2.) Cleveland Browns
Cleveland’s roster is extremely talented. They upgraded their offensive line through free agency and the draft. They brought in an entirely new coaching staff after the previous staff was a disaster. The defense could use upgrades at linebacker and safety. The Browns took Grant Delpit in the second round of this year’s draft, but he got injured during training camp. The starters as of right now are Andrew Sendejo and Karl Joseph. I believe Joseph can really benefit from the change of scenery, but I think Sendejo is better suited in a reserved role. Thomas could fill a void and add to a very talented roster.
1.) Dallas Cowboys
This should surprise no one. Earl Thomas has wanted to be a Cowboy for some time now. The Cowboys had the opportunity to add him in free agency last year and passed. Now Thomas is free to sign anywhere and could be had for a reasonable price. Dallas did acquire Ha Ha Clinton-Dix in free agency this year and Xavier Woods is slotted to be the other starter. Mike McCarthy has added to an already talented roster, but the secondary is by far this team’s biggest weakness. Thomas could significantly help this team right now. This team has shown a willingness to sign players with baggage as long as the talent is good enough. This feels like a match.
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