The speculation regarding the Dallas Cowboys and Seattle Seahawks safety Earl Thomas has been an ongoing saga for the past few months. Thomas has expressed interest in going back to his home state and playing for his boyhood team. But while the Seahawks have reportedly been open to a trade, the cost to acquire the star safety has been prohibitively high.

Although, Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram says the Cowboys are still “holding out hope” that the Seahawks’ asking price for Thomas goes down significantly.

To that end, the Cowboys have contacted the Seahawks about a potential draft trade. But the Seattle asking price of a first- and third-round draft pick was too high. The Cowboys are holding out hope that their asking price goes down to maybe a second-round pick.

Hill also notes that Bryant’s recent release could open the door for the Cowboys to add Thomas should they be able to strike a deal with the Seahawks. The Cowboys saved $8 million on their cap by cutting Bryant, which will help add Thomas’ base salary of $8.5 million.

The Cowboys will likely be in the market for a new safety after their decision to move Byron Jones back to cornerback. Thomas would be a dream addition given his terrific ability.

But while the Cowboys are still hoping to land Thomas, the clock is ticking. They'll have the chance to land a younger and cheaper option in the draft. And if they do successfully grab one which they like, any lingering chance of getting Thomas coming back home may finally be over by that point.