As we discussed in this section prior to the NFL Free Agency launch, jumping from Seattle to the Dallas Cowboys makes a lot of sense on many levels – if the prize could be done right -.
And now a Seahawks beatwriter agrees to the premise and lists it Dallas as one of the four “possible” targets due to “familiarity with the coaching staff”.‘
Our view of Wright is unchanged. … and maybe even strengthened by the fact that he has been sitting on the shelf of the independent agency for more than a week. The Cowboys currently have some insecurities with the linebacker with Jaylon Smith, Leighton Vander Esch and Sean Lee and could use stability and high performance. Wright has been just that for Seattle for a decade.
The fact that he wins a Super Bowl as part of the Legion of Boom defense and goes to the Pro Bowl in 2016 is a strength. So did his connection with former boss Dan Quinn, who is now Dallas’s defense coordinator.
Wright called Quinn a “defensive mastermind”.
An imperfection? Wright is 32.
Any other obstacles? Well, there’s the fact that the 6-4, 240-pounder recently became a SAM linebacker, the least useful of the three spots. … although sources indicate to us that most NFL teams believe he can play in multiple spots.
And with that in mind, there’s the problem that Wright wants to be paid.
“I do way too much on the soccer field to get a discount (for the hometown),” Wright recently said of the idea of staying in Seattle.
Wright was and is expected to be a $ 6 million to $ 7 million a year guy again. That could still happen … although the market is likely to dry up a bit again.
We assume that Quinn, who will have a voice on the staff here at The Star, would generally give the concept a thumbs up.
We’ll also bet Quinn would testify that Wright isn’t “just” a strong linebacker … and maybe it’s Jaylon Smith who should move there, which means fewer snapshots for him and more “downhill” chances of doing plays. … and since newcomer Keanu Neal will be a “hybrid” defender (security, WILL, whatever), Wright’s versatility actually helps.
On another positive note, Wright is hailed as a leader in Seattle, maybe even a championship-level culture changer, and while the Dallas locker room may not think it takes it … an average of seven wins a season over the past two years, they say Otherwise.
The cowboys can “afford” such a player … but will they choose younger, cheaper ways to split the “cake”? The mood in Seattle seems to elevate the possibility.
