The Bills have made a pretty interesting move at the tight end position, signing outstanding athlete Logan Thomas off the Lions practice squad.
Sources: Bills signing Logan Thomas off DET practice squad. Inspired by T. Pryor's move to WR, BUF sees a potential TE. @NFLonFOX @gmfb
— Peter Schrager (@PSchrags) November 29, 2016
If you follow college football, you’ll remember the 6’6”, 255-pound Thomas from his days at Virginia Tech.
He came to Blacksburg as the top tight-end recruit in the nation, but Thomas was the Hokies’ starter right after Tyrod Taylor went on to the NFL, and in his first full season under center in 2011, he completed 59.8 percent of his passes with 19 passing TDs and 10 interceptions. He also added 11 rushing touchdowns en route to Virginia Tech making an appearance in the Sugar Bowl.
Thomas actually caught a touchdown pass from Taylor in 2010. It was pretty darn impressive.
After that season, Thomas never took a step forward as a passer — in fact, he regressed — but due to his immense physical tools, the Cardinals picked him in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft.
He spent his rookie year with the Cardinals, then was with the Dolphins in 2015 before being claimed off waivers by the Giants this summer.
Thomas made news yesterday when the Lions added him to their roster as a tight end, and to Schrager’s point, the success of failed QB-turned-WR Terrelle Pryor seems to have opened the eyes of some NFL coaches and become a catalyst for Thomas himself to be fine with the position change.
When Thomas signed with the Lions on November 28, Josh Norris of NBC Sports tweeted Thomas’ MockDraftable Web, which illustrates a prospect’s size and athleticism compared to other prospects at the same position.
(The most similar prospect is listed at the top.)
With Logan Thomas moving to TE, here is his athletic profile via @mockdraftable #Lions pic.twitter.com/1AlHxLTVbj
— Josh Norris (@JoshNorris) November 28, 2016
Yo.
(His three-cone and short-shuttle times — which are the best measures of quickness and “twitchiness” — are ridiculously good for his size.)
Due to Thomas’ rawness at tight end, this seems like move with 2017 in mind more so than this season.
But by rule, to snag him off the Lions’ practice squad, the Bills had to sign Thomas to their 53-man roster. There are no guarantees — in fact, it’s extremely unlikely — that he’ll be on the 46-man, gameday roster this week.
And, obviously, the above workout numbers and corresponding names don’t automatically mean the 25-year-old Thomas will be as good as Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Julius Thomas, or Gary Barnidge.
They do mean he’s a super athlete oozing with upside — more than he ever had as a QB — at his new position.