The New York Giants shouldn’t even breathe in the direction of Earl Thomas:Â
The Baltimore Ravens released star safety, Earl Thomas, on Sunday afternoon after a heated exchange with teammate Chuck Clark. After Clark made a poor coverage read, Thomas smashed his helmet on the floor and initiated a fight between the two. The bad blood between Thomas and the Ravens has been piling up, and it resulted in him being released.
Thomas has always been a controversial player with a heated mentality. He recently signed a four-year, $55 million deal with Baltimore in 2019. Being cut makes him an immediate free agent, and the Dallas Cowboys have reportedly had an interest in his services.
The New York Giants must remain far away:
While Thomas is a Pro Bowl level player that brings incredible talent to any defense, he has a hot head and could become a problem among other egotistical athletes. That is a major reason the New York Giants shouldn’t even consider taking a flyer on him.
After drafting Xavier McKinney in the second round and the existence of Jabrill Peppers and Julian Love, Thomas is better off finding another team. Some fans may call upon general manager Dave Gettleman to inquire, but it is better to stick with the youth already on the roster, who have bought into new head coach Joe Judge’s system.
Nonetheless, Earl’s production is extremely attractive from all angles. Over 15 games last year, he allowed a 44% completion rate with zero touchdowns and two interceptions. He also compiled 49 tackles and six quarterback hits. He is an all-around fantastic player with the talent to make a defense exponentially better. However, he is a disruptor in the locker room and would be cancerous to the team’s rebuild strategy. Therefore, staying far away from him should be the goal for the Giants and their new regimen.
Sticking with their guns in McKinney at free safety is the ideal scenario. With Alabama in 2019, McKinney racked up seven turnovers and has already shown his playmaking ability during camp. Building off his potential is far more beneficial than splashing an exorbitant amount of cash to bring in a troubled player.