When the Buffalo Bills signed Logan Thomas off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad last season, the superb athlete was in the beginning stages of transitioning from playing quarterback to playing tight end. As he enters his fourth professional season, Thomas looks to stick on the Bills’ roster at his new position.
Name: Logan Thomas
# 82
Position: Tight End
Height/Weight: 6’6”, 250 pounds
Experience: 3 years (2 as a QB, 1 as a TE)
College: Virginia Tech
Draft: 2014 NFL Draft, Round 4 (120th overall, Arizona Cardinals)
Financial Situation (per Spotrac): 2 years, 1.47 million dollars overall
2016 Recap: After finding little success as a professional quarterback, Thomas switched positions last year. He spent the first part of the 2016 season as an on-again, off-again member of the New York Giants’ practice squad. After he was waived in November, he signed on with the Lions as a tight end (he tried out as both a tight end and a quarterback). One day later, the Bills signed him off of Detroit’s practice squad. He was inactive for all five games games that he was on the roster.
Positional Outlook: The tight end position is an interesting one in new offensive coordinator Rick Dennison’s offense. Thomas’s superior athleticism lends itself well to the position, and Dennison loves to use multiple tight ends. With Charles Clay firmly entrenched as the starter and Nick O’Leary fairly close to set as the backup, Thomas will battle undrafted rookies Keith Towbridge and Jason Croom for the third spot on the depth chart.
2017 Offseason: Thomas has been at OTAs, and he discussed his transition to tight end prior to the start of minicamp. Jay Skurski of The Buffalo News projects Thomas to stick as the third tight end on the roster to start the season.
2017 Season Outlook: Thomas has a great chance to make the team to start the season, barring a more experienced free agent pickup such as Gary Barnidge. If no other additions are made, I’d imagine it will come down to Thomas and Croom, unless the team chooses to keep four tight ends (which is pretty unlikely).