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Joe Thomas has scheduled a visit with the Dallas Cowboys in free agency! No, not that Joe Thomas, the now-retired tackle of the Cleveland Browns. But linebacker Joe Thomas, a free agent of the Green Bay Packers. This according to Todd Archer.
Free-agent linebacker Joe Thomas is visiting the Cowboys. He spent the last three seasons with the Green Bay Packers after a brief stint on the Cowboys’ practice squad in 2015. The Packers did not tender him as a restricted free agent, allowing him to hit the open market. He has been mostly a sub-package linebacker and special teamer in his career.
The Cowboys clearly have a need at linebacker after losing Anthony Hitchens and Kyle Wilber. Wilber was a major player on special teams, something the Cowboys rely on linebackers for if they are not regular rotation guys.
Thomas, who turns 27 in May, played in 42 games for the Packers, tallying 110 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one interception and one forced fumble.
He started seven games and played 632 snaps on defense in 2016, both career highs. The versatility of Morgan Burnett and Josh Jones as in-the-box linebackers relegated Thomas to mostly special teams duties in 2017.
A signing of a player like this would be mostly about special teams and depth, but the fact he has started some games may mean he’ll have a shot at the rotation behind Sean Lee and Jaylon Smith if Dallas signs him. He sounds like a guy the Packers used a lot in coverage situations at linebacker a couple of years ago.