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Logan Thomas

49ers, TE Logan Thomas Agree To Deal

June 6th, 2024 at 1:10pm CST by Sam Robinson

JUNE 6: Thomas will receive the veteran’s minimum ($1.21MM) on his 49ers accord, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes. That total includes $300K guaranteed. Thomas’ cap hit will be $985K, a manageable figure if he can effectively serve as a backup tight end for San Francisco.

JUNE 3: Seeing a previous effort to add a backup tight end thwarted by the Lions matching a restricted free agency offer sheet, the 49ers are circling back to the position months later. Logan Thomas is on his way to the Bay Area.

The 49ers and the recent Commanders starter are finalizing a deal, according to NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo. This will end a lengthy free agency stay for Thomas, whom Washington released before free agency’s outset. A converted quarterback, Thomas will have a chance to play an 11th NFL season.

San Francisco lost Charlie Woerner and Ross Dwelley to Atlanta in free agency and has 2023 third-round pick Cameron Latu coming off a season-ending knee injury. The team’s Brock Wright offer sheet did not bring the Sam LaPorta complementary piece to San Francisco; Detroit matched the three-year, $12MM deal. Thomas is now ticketed to be George Kittle‘s top sidekick.

Considering the recent developments, tight end depth became a need for the 49ers. Thomas, 32, stands to fill that void. Despite coming into the league as a Cardinals backup QB, Thomas did not present evidence of being overmatched as a blocker. Pro Football Focus rated the veteran pass catcher 17th in run blocking at the position last season. The 49ers’ offense certainly requires its tight ends to play key roles in the run game, and it will be interesting to see if the 6-foot-6, 250-pound performer can work his way into two-tight end sets alongside Kittle.

Set to turn 33 in early July, Thomas is coming off a four-season Washington tenure. The first of those featured a career-high 670 receiving yards, giving the team a surprise supplementary option alongside Terry McLaurin. Thomas also hit his career high with six touchdowns that season. The showing earned the former Virginia Tech QB a three-year, $24MM deal in July 2021. That turned out to represent important timing for Thomas, who suffered a torn ACL during a six-game ’21 season.

Thomas struggled to regain his form in 2022 but showed signs of promise in Eric Bieniemy’s offense last year. Eclipsing 40 receiving yards in seven games, Thomas finished with 55 receptions for 496 yards and four TDs last season. This effort did not prompt the Commanders’ new regime to sign off on keeping Thomas in the final year of his contract. The team added ex-Kliff Kingsbury charge Zach Ertz and used a second-round pick on Ben Sinnott.

The 49ers did not draft a tight end and came into OTAs with some questions at the position. Most recently, 2023 seventh-rounder Brayden Willis appeared in the lead for the team’s TE2 role, though Latu will probably be heard from at some point ahead of the season. The team also has veteran Eric Saubert on the roster. Thomas’ presence will create some competition among the team’s lesser-known tight ends.

The 49ers have seen Kittle play through injuries in recent years, though he has not missed more than three games in a season in that span. Thomas stands to provide a veteran option for Brock Purdy — in an offense loaded at the skill positions after the draft came and went without Brandon Aiyuk or Deebo Samuel being traded.

Commanders Release TE Logan Thomas

March 1st, 2024 at 10:58pm CST by Sam Robinson

Continuing to move on from veteran contracts, the Commanders will be without Logan Thomas in 2024. Washington is releasing the experienced tight end, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo reports. The move is now official, per a team announcement.

Already entering Friday positioned in the top three in cap space, the Commanders are freeing up more room. Absent any post-June 1 maneuvers, the team will pick up nearly $14MM between the Thomas and Charles Leno cuts. Thomas was due to make $5.34MM in his contract year.

[RELATED: Commanders To Cut C Nick Gates]

Thomas, 32, completed a unique comeback in Washington. Ron Rivera gave the former quarterback a chance to vie for the starting tight end job. A Virginia native who played quarterback at Virginia Tech, Thomas saw QB time for the Cardinals as a rookie in 2014. After years off the radar, he eventually completed the task of shifting to tight end, producing a career-best season in 2020. That eventually keyed a significant raise. Thomas signed a three-year, $24MM extension during the 2021 offseason. Injuries intervened on this contract, which had one season remaining. Tight end can be added to the Commanders’ need areas going into Adam Peters‘ first free agency in charge.

In 2020, Thomas caught 72 passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns. Each mark remains a career high, with a major injury — an ACL tear sustained in December of that year — impacting him going forward. While Chase Young was unable to begin the 2022 season on time, Thomas did. But he struggled to show the same form. The former QB was better last season, totaling 55 receptions for 496 yards. As a new regime comes in, however, more Rivera-era parts will be stripped.

Set to turn 33 in July, Thomas was due a $500K roster bonus on March 17, ProFootballNetwork.com’s Adam Caplan tweets. That is not a significant amount, but with Dan Quinn and Kliff Kingsbury coming in, keeping an aging tight end on an $8.29MM cap number seemed like a tough ask.

Among Washington tight ends, John Bates caught the second-most passes (19) last season. But it is safe to expect Peters to target a new starter. After all, the team will have upwards of $80MM in cap space to find one. Dalton Schultz represents a name to watch here, considering his Cowboys tenure overlapped with Quinn’s. Hunter Henry, Noah Fant, Mike Gesicki, ex-Kingsbury pupil Zach Ertz and the recently released Jonnu Smith are other notable names available.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

NFL Injury Updates: Burrow, Richardson, Barkley, Thomas

September 17th, 2023 at 8:23pm CST by Ely Allen

Bengals fans have been plenty frustrated with the team’s return on investment from quarterback Joe Burrow‘s record-breaking extension. Through two games, Burrow has averaged 152 yards per game while throwing two touchdowns and an interception. People were concerned about the calf injury that forced him out of practice early in training camp this summer and how it would affect him as the season began. Burrow has pointed to that injury as a big reason for some of his early struggles, according to Jay Morrison of Pro Football Network.

Morrison noted that Burrow spoke “with a level of concern” after today’s game when addressing his right calf. He claimed to have tweaked his calf in today’s loss to the Ravens. Not only did he consider it a factor today, and likely last week, but he also thought there was a chance that it could end up being a tight rope that he is forced to walk for the remainder of the season.

It’s not difficult to see that the Burrow we’ve seen so far this year has been far from what we’re used to seeing in recent years. It will be interesting to see how the Bengals move forward with the handling of Burrow’s calf. Pushing him too hard could result in an extended absence, while a short reprieve of a week or two could help him get on top of a recovery that seems to be troubling him. There’s a lot of season left to go, and the Bengals will be keeping a close eye on Burrow in the days and weeks to come.

Here are a few other updates from around the NFL:

  • Colts rookie quarterback Anthony Richardson got off to a hot start in the second game of his NFL career, rushing for two touchdowns early in today’s divisional matchup with the Texans. Richardson had to exit the game in the first half, though, after sustaining a concussion that would hold him out for the remainder of the contest. Richardson was replaced by backup quarterback Gardner Minshew, who helped secure the team’s first win of the season. Richardson will need to go through concussion protocols in order to return to the field. This season, the protocols for return take about five days to get through, meaning Richardson absolutely has a chance to return for Week 3 if he can pass the necessary tests. If not, Minshew will continue to play in relief.
  • Giants running back Saquon Barkley was injured in the final two minutes of today’s win over the Cardinals. He was obviously kept out of the remainder of the game but was visibly upset on the sideline while surrounded by trainers. They taped Barkley’s ankle, but he continued to walk with a significant limp. According to Jordan Raanan of ESPN, an x-ray was performed after the game, while Barkley was still experiencing some swelling and discomfort. It has now been reported as a sprained ankle, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, meaning New York may have dodged a giant bullet, forgive the pun. While this bodes well for Barkley’s season-long prospects, the short week will not be his friend. Expect the Giants to exercise caution and, barring a miracle recovery, hold Barkley out for their Thursday night matchup against the 49ers. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Barkley will undergo an MRI tomorrow in order to determine the severity of the injury and gain an idea of just how much time he may miss.
  • Joining Richardson above, Commanders tight end Logan Thomas left the team’s win over the Broncos today with a concussion that he sustained after getting clobbered over the middle by Denver safety Kareem Jackson. Jackson was ejected for the hit. Backup tight ends John Bates and Cole Turner both got significant run in Thomas’ absence and will continue to do so if he isn’t able to return next week.
  • Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney (knee), Cowboys right guard Zack Martin (ankle), and Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) all sustained injuries today that kept them out of their respective games. Reports from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler and Jane Slater and Ian Rapoport of NFL Network tell us that none of these injuries are considered serious.

Commanders Injury Updates: Robinson, Thomas, Curl

September 10th, 2022 at 10:21pm CST by Ely Allen

After surviving an attempted robbery that resulted in multiple gunshot wounds, rookie third-round running back Brian Robinson is looking more and more likely to make a return to the field this season for the Commanders. On the Don Geronimo Show, head coach Ron Rivera divulged that the swelling in Robinson’s knee has gone down “an awful lot” and that Robinson is off crutches less than two weeks after suffering his non-life-threatening injuries, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post.

The Commanders were forced to place Robinson on the reserve/non-football injury list as a result of the shooting, meaning that, at the very least, Robinson will miss four games to begin his rookie season. Many expected the result to be much, much worse, but it’s looking more and more like a Week 5 return is possible, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo.

Here’s a few more updates out of DC, starting with some more good news on the offensive side of the ball:

  • Washington’s starting tight end, Logan Thomas, will be available for the season opener tomorrow versus the Jaguars after tearing his ACL and MCL only nine months ago, according to ESPN’s John Keim. Thomas opened training camp on the active/physically unable to perform list, being activated off the list about three weeks ago, but has been practicing with a brace on his leg since coming back. The former Virginia Tech quarterback will want to try and recapture the magic of his breakout season two years ago, when he caught 72 balls for 670 yards and six touchdowns. The addition of Thomas should give new quarterback Carson Wentz a full array of targets along with Terry McLaurin, rookie first-round pick Jahan Dotson, and Curtis Samuel.
  • After suffering a thumb injury a little over a week ago, it was confirmed that starting safety Kamren Curl indeed underwent surgery to repair his thumb, according to Jhabvala and Sam Fortier of The Washington Post. Curl feels that he could potentially play “if it came to that,” but he will forgo the club-like cast and play it safe as he works towards a quick recovery. Curl is expected to miss the the season opener, according to a tweet from Keim, but his absence is expected to end there. According to Jhabvala’s Twitter account, Rivera is “pretty optimistic” that Curl will only miss one game, making sure to clarify that he is not the team’s doctor, for what it’s worth.

Commanders Activate TE Logan Thomas From PUP

August 22nd, 2022 at 6:01pm CST by Ben Levine

Logan Thomas is back on the practice field. The Commanders announced that they’ve activated the tight end from the physically unable to perform list.

Thomas suffered a torn ACL and MCL in early December, but he was recovering quickly enough that there was hope he would avoid the PUP. The Commanders ultimately gave him some extra time, and while he was back at practice today, Thomas still isn’t participating 11-on-11 drills. It’s uncertain if the tight end will be able to take the field for Week 1.

“I’d love to be out there Week 1, but I know myself and if I’m not ready to go or don’t feel like a full version of myself we can buy another week or two weeks,” Thomas told ESPN’s John Keim.

Thomas bounced around the NFL a bit before a breakout season in Washington during the 2020 season. That year, he finished with 72 receptions for 670 yards and six touchdowns. His production was down in six games last season, although that could have been attributed to a nagging hamstring injury that forced him to miss a chunk of games early on in the year. He ultimately finished the 2021 campaign with 18 catches for 196 yards and three touchdowns.

Washington hasn’t had much luck keeping tight ends on the field this preseason. John Bates is nursing a calf injury, while rookie fifth-round pick Cole Turner has been sidelined since the beginning of the month with a hamstring issue. To that, the Commanders made a handful of additional moves today to address the position. They signed tight end Jake Hausmann and claimed tight end Kendall Blanton off waivers from the Rams. The Commanders also placed tight end Eli Wolf on IR while releasing fullback/tight end Alex Armah from injured reserve. Defensive end Bunmi Rotimi also landed on IR today.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22

July 26th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Commanders TE Logan Thomas To Start Season On IR?

June 22nd, 2022 at 9:33pm CST by Ben Levine

Commanders tight end Logan Thomas continues to work hard to return from a torn ACL/MCL, but the injury still might force him to miss the start of the 2022 campaign. ESPN.com’s John Keim writes that Thomas could open the season on injured reserve.

This isn’t a huge surprise considering Thomas only suffered the injury in December. As Bijon Todd of NBC Sports Washington writes, Thomas previously suggested he’d need 10 months to recover from the injury, and that timeline would have him missing around the first month of the season. While speaking to reporters the other day, Thomas clarified that his goal is to be on the field for Week 1, but he’s prioritizing his health over all else.

“I know the next question is probably timeline. Timeline for me: would love to be back for Week 1, that’s my goal,” Thomas said (via Todd). “If it doesn’t happen, I don’t feel right, feel like I got limitations, then I’ll come back when I’m ready…Week 1 would be great, if not, so be it.”

Following a career year in 2020 that saw Thomas haul in 72 receptions for 670 yards, and six touchdowns, the tight end inked a three-year $24MM extension with Washington last offseason. Thomas had a rough campaign in 2021; beyond his season-ending knee injury, Thomas also had an early-season IR stint while recovering from a hamstring injury. He ultimately finished the season with 18 catches for 196 yards and three scores.

Fortunately for the Commanders, they have plenty of depth at the tight end position. Keim opines that John Bates and Cole Turner will be two of Washington’s three tight ends (along with Thomas), but the organization is also rostering intriguing options like former receiver Antonio Gandy-Golden, undrafted rookie Curtis Hodges, second-year prospect Sammis Reyes, and fullback Alex Armah.

Torn ACL For WFT’s Logan Thomas

December 14th, 2021 at 8:46am CST by Zachary Links

Despite some early optimism, additional testing confirmed that Washington Football Team tight end Logan Thomas has in fact torn his ACL (Twitter link via Adam Schefter of ESPN.com). Thomas, already ruled out for the year after his second trip to the injured reserve list, will undergo surgery this week and begin his march back to the field for 2022.

Thomas suffered the injury back on December 5th against the Raiders. The early word was a torn ACL, but, the following day, head coach Ron Rivera told reporters that the damage might not have been as extensive. Unfortunately, Washington had no choice but to shelve Thomas for the rest of the year.

The WFT came up short against the Cowboys on Sunday, dropping them to 6-7 on the year. On the plus side, they still have a path to the playoffs in the NFC. Two of their next three games are against the Eagles (with a Cowboys rematch in between), giving them a prime opportunity to gain ground in the Wild Card chase.

Thomas, meanwhile, will focus on rehab and a return to his old form. Last year, he broke out in a big way with 72 catches for 670 yards and six touchdowns. This year, thanks to multiple injuries, he was held to just 18 grabs, 196 yards, and three touchdowns.

Washington To Place Logan Thomas On IR

December 8th, 2021 at 9:40am CST by Sam Robinson

Although Logan Thomas‘ knee MRI produced some more encouraging results, Washington will still end its starting tight end’s season. Thomas is heading to IR, The Athletic’s Ben Standig tweets.

Washington initially feared Thomas suffered a torn ACL during Sunday’s game in Las Vegas, but Ron Rivera said earlier this week the converted quarterback had a chance to play again this season. That is no longer the case. Because Washington placed Thomas on IR earlier this season, this second such designation means he cannot play again until the 2022 campaign.

A hamstring injury sidelined Thomas earlier this season. He ended up playing in just six games for the resurgent WFT. Fortunately for Thomas, he locked in some guaranteed money through his July extension. Washington has the 30-year-old pass catcher under contract through 2024, via the three-year, $24MM deal.

Thomas provided a key auxiliary target for Alex Smith and Co. last season, when he caught 72 passes for 670 yards and six touchdowns. He could not be the same kind of threat this year, with injuries limiting the eighth-year player to 18 catches and 196 yards. Thomas did score a touchdown — his third this season — in Washington’s 17-15 win over the Raiders on Sunday.

Thomas’ primary backup, Ricky Seals-Jones, has not played since Week 10. Seals-Jones leads the WFT’s tight ends with 23 catches for 230 yards this season.

Latest On WFT’s Logan Thomas

December 6th, 2021 at 3:00pm CST by Zachary Links

Logan Thomas‘ knee injury might not be so bad after all. “The MRI results came back [and] were better than we anticipated,” head coach Ron Rivera told reporters during his Monday afternoon press conference (Twitter link). 

“Obviously, there is some damage there,” Rivera continued. “It’s not as extensive as first thought. So, we’re sending for a few more tests just to make sure and we’ll go from there. So we’re still waiting on a little be more of an evaluation, but it is a little bit more positive than first anticipated.”

That’s a big step up from what we heard on Sunday — Thomas was initially believed to have suffered a torn ACL. A partial tear of a less critical ligament, like an MCL, could allow Thomas to return later this year.

The Washington Football Team advanced to 6-6 on the year with yesterday’s win over the Raiders. They now have a 51% chance of making the playoffs, according to Five Thirty Eight. If they keep trending in the right direction, Thomas could come back in time for the final stretch. On the flip side, if Washington slips in the coming weeks, they’ll probably shelve him the rest of the way.

In his six games this year, Thomas has 18 receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns. No matter the outcome of his remaining tests, it’s safe to say that he’ll be held out of this week’s contest against the Cowboys.

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