Ian Thomas signed with the Raiders last March, ending his lengthy run in Carolina. The veteran tight end is positioned for a second straight year in Vegas.
Thomas is re-signing on a one-year deal, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. This move will give the Raiders continuity at the position aside from Brock Bowers preparing for his third NFL season. Thomas handled a 36% snap share on offense during the 2025 campaign.
A similar depth/blocking workload can be expected moving forward. Thomas also chipped in on special teams during his debut season in Vegas, something he has done at times over the course of his career. Especially if Bowers – who was limited to 12 games in 2025 – can remain healthy next year, Thomas will no doubt be in line for a backup gig including third phase duties. The 29-year-old will nevertheless provide an experienced presence to an offense which will feature a number of new faces in 2026.
Thomas made 36 catches during his rookie season; that remains the high mark for his career. A major uptick in production or usage should of course not be expected for 2026. The former fourth-rounder caught each of his 13 targets this past year, however, so he could be viewed as a reliable depth option in the passing game with new head coach Klint Kubiak in the fold.
When he signed with Vegas last year, Thomas took a deal worth $1.52MM. This latest pact will presumably check in at a similar rate. The Raiders entered Tuesday with over $23MM in cap space, so bringing him back will not alter any other moves being planned in the build-up to the draft.
No mention of Mayer.
Ikr Mayer is chop liver sheesh lol