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NFL Notes: Seattle, Dallas in Thomas trade talks

The Sports Xchange

July 08, 2018 at 9:26 pm.

Dec 24, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) runs over Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) at AT&T Stadium. Seattle won 21-12. Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 24, 2017; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (82) runs over Seattle Seahawks free safety Earl Thomas (29) at AT&T Stadium. Seattle won 21-12. Photo Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Multiple reports indicate trade talks between Dallas and Seattle for veteran safety Earl Thomas are heating up.

Talk of Thomas being unhappy and wanting to play in Dallas sparked rumors during the NFL Draft of a potential trade, but the Seahawks’ reported price of a second-round pick was too steep for the Cowboys. Now with the start of training camp just weeks away, talk of Thomas to Dallas was reignited on Saturday.

Thomas, a former University of Texas player, reportedly told Dallas coach Jason Garrett to trade for him after a December game between the Seahawks and Cowboys.

Thomas is set to make $8.5 million entering the final season of a four-year, $40 million deal he signed in 2014. The six-time Pro Bowl selection has skipped organized team activities throughout the summer.

— With the NFL supplemental draft just days away on July 11, the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills have been listed as likely teams who might make a splash.

Of the five players available, the most interesting, Western Michigan cornerback Sam Beal, could land on the shores of Lake Erie, with the Browns or the Bills. Every team sent a representative to Beal’s supplemental workout, where he ran a wind-assisted 4.4 in the 40-yard dash as well as a 4.55 40 against the wind.

The Browns have two picks in the third round, and Dane Brugler of NFLDraftScout.com projects Beal as a third-round pick.

The other players available in the supplemental draft are Mississippi State safety Brandon Bryant, Virginia Tech cornerback Adonis Alexander, Oregon State linebacker Bright Ugwoegbu and Grand Valley State running back Martayveus Carter.

— Indianapolis Colts quarterback Andrew Luck was pleased to discover that the “home team” recovered his lost wallet.

A man, who was identified only as “Charles” in a tweet by ABC6 in Indianapolis, discovered Luck’s lost wallet on a bike ride. The Good Samaritan returned the wallet to a security guard at the Colts’ training facility.

Luck took a few moments to pay it forward, signing a football to go along with a special note for “Charles.”

“Many thanks! You made my life much easier, ha! Thanks for reminding me of the ‘kindness of strangers,'” the 28-year-old Luck wrote.

With his money and credit cards secure, the three-time Pro Bowl selection can focus on returning from a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the 2017 season.

— Johnny Manziel came to the Canadian Football League with plenty of fanfare, although that noise has been silenced by the play of Jeremiah Masoli.

Manziel once again watched from the sideline as Masoli tied a CFL record with his ninth consecutive game of at least 300 passing yards in the Hamilton Tiger-Cats’ 18-13 loss to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. The record is held by Montreal’s Sam Etcheverry (1956) and Saskatchewan’s Kent Austin (1991), according to TSN.

While the former Oregon standout leads the league with 1,378 passing yards, Manziel has been reduced to the role of a spectator. A former Heisman Trophy winner at Texas A&M, Manziel has not played in a regular-season game since the end of the 2015 season with the Cleveland Browns.

— Dallas Cowboys linebacker Sean Lee said he needs to help fill the void left by retired tight end Jason Witten.

“There is no question that I need to step up because he’s gone,” the 31-year-old Lee said, via the Dallas Morning News.

“I think it’s a responsibility for me, similar to how it was for Jason Witten. Jason kind of set the tone for us. Not only did he set the pace leadership-wise, but he also knew that you had to pass the leadership down and you had to be gracious and try to help guys. That’s something I am really trying to do also. If you want to have a great team, the leaders got to bring guys in. You can lead by example, but you’ve also got to get the young guys working the right way too.”

Lee had 101 tackles and one interception in 11 games last season. He missed five games with hamstring issues.

— The helmet worn by Eli Manning when he and the New York Giants rallied to beat the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII is expected to fetch more than $130,000 at auction.

The bidding begins Monday at the Goldin website and will continue through Aug. 2 when bidding will end in a live auction at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Cleveland.

The Giants were significant underdogs and trailed the Patriots 7-3 in the fourth quarter. Manning led the Giants to two fourth-quarter scores, including the winner to wide receiver Plaxico Burress with 35 seconds left in the game.

According to ESPN’s Darren Rovell, if Manning’s helmet does bring in $130,000, it will be the most expensive helmet sold in auction. A helmet worn by Rudy Ruettiger while at Notre Dame sold last year for $126,500, Rovell said.

— Los Angeles Rams running back Todd Gurley said he’s motivated by the city’s newest arrival: LeBron James.

A four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, James announced last Sunday that he was leaving the Cleveland Cavaliers for the second time in his career — this time to join the Los Angeles Lakers on a four-year, $154 million contract.

Gurley spoke about the impact of James joining the Lakers will have on the Rams during an appearance Saturday on the “PFT PM” podcast with Mike Florio.

“Once I heard about the LeBron signing, it just kind of made me wanna go out and just work out,” the 23-year-old Gurley said. “The guy’s been to the Finals the last seven, eight years so that’s coming to the city. The NBA Finals is coming to the city. That’s what LeBron brings.”

— Former NFL tight end Dwight Clark’s final resting place resides next to a memento from his most famous play.

Clark, who died last month, was cremated and his ashes were buried next to the goal post from the Candlestick Park end zone where he secured “The Catch,” the winning touchdown in the NFL Championship Game on Jan. 10, 1982.

That goal post now resides on former San Francisco 49ers owner Eddie DeBartolo’s ranch in Montana. Former 49ers coach Steve Mariucci tweeted a video showing the goal post and Clark’s final resting place.

Clark reeled in 506 passes for 6,750 yards and 48 touchdowns during his career with the 49ers. He died June 4 after a battle with ALS. He was 61.

— Los Angeles Chargers first-round pick Derwin James made good on his promise to purchase a home for his mother.

James, who was the 17th overall pick of the 2018 NFL Draft, received a $7.1 million signing bonus as part of his four-year, $12.39 million deal with the Chargers.

The safety wasn’t shy about letting the world know about his mother’s new two-story house.

“Today was a special day. Bought my momma her dream house I always promise her since a kid,” James wrote. “I don’t think there is anybody more deserving in the world then her. Love you.”

The 21-year-old James had 186 tackles and three interceptions in three seasons at Florida State.

— San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Marquise Goodwin decided to put a portion of his new three-year, $20.3 million contract to good use. He bought his mother and sister a new house.

On Thursday, Goodwin posted a video to Instagram that shows the manner in which he surprised his mother, Tamina, and sister, Deja, who has cerebral palsy. The latter two were blindfolded until Goodwin revealed their new home.

“I know mama… I can feel your energy in this video! All the obstacles WE have overcome,” Goodwin wrote. “Man…I love you so much mama… thank you for EVERYTHING! Especially blessing me with a sis like my Deja!!!”

Goodwin notably played through personal anguish last season, as his infant son died from pregnancy complications. Five weeks later, his father died before a game against the Tennessee Titans.

The 27-year-old Goodwin had career highs in catches (56) and receiving yards (962) to go with two touchdowns last season.

— The Indianapolis Colts might not be that far off from being a contender in the AFC once again. At least that’s the feeling second-year safety Malik Hooker has been spreading this offseason.

There’s a renewed energy and vibe around the Colts. Frank Reich is the new coach, and the staff has been revamped. And of course there’s quarterback Andrew Luck, who has not played in a game since Jan. 1, 2017.

Much of the Colts’ success hinges on Luck and his rehabilitated shoulder. But even if Luck isn’t under center, Hooker thinks the Colts still can contend.

“I’m definitely the guy that I feel like we’re capable of winning now,” Hooker told the team’s website. “You know, we’ve got a lot of great players, a lot of good players coming back as well. So I feel like this year, we’ve got a young, fast and good, physical team, so I feel like we’re definitely capable of winning now.”

— Josh McCown is No. 1. Teddy Bridgewater is No. 2. Rookie Sam Darnold is No. 3. The New York Jets head into training camp with a clear definition of what their quarterback room looks like, but Jets fans should not be surprised if that changes sooner rather than later.

Darnold, the team’s top pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, was impressive in minicamp and seems to get better each day, according to McCown, who gushed about the 21-year-old on Sirius XM radio during the weekend.

“With Sam, we have the right guy, he’s wired the right way, he loves the game, he asks the right questions and he’s willing to work. … That’s the foundation. You have to have that,” McCown said.

— Washington expected wide receiver Josh Doctson to fill a huge void when he was drafted two years ago with the 22nd pick in the first round out of TCU. The reality is that Doctson has been a huge disappointment.

Doctson does not have a 100-yard receiving game, nor has he caught more than four passes in a game. ut as he prepares for training camp and his third year, he says he’s ready to take a huge leap forward.

“Every new year I’m looking to be better. I have been better,” Doctson told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on Saturday during a football camp he hosted at TCU. “Just off the field maturing, off the field understanding how to be a NFL player,” he said.

Last year, he had 35 receptions for 502 yards and six touchdowns, but with Terrelle Pyror leaving via free agency, the door is open for Doctson to be the No. 1 wide receiver. And new quarterback Alex Smith could make a difference for Doctson.

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