Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas took an unusual path to become an offensive weapon in the NFL. Once a former star quarterback, there is now a belief the 31-year-old could be on the verge of a breakout season.
A 6-foot-6 tight end, Thomas is just a few years removed from earning second-team All-ACC honors in 2011 as a quarterback for the Virginia Tech Hokies. He attempted to find his footing in the NFL as a passer, before eventually being convinced to switch to tight end.
It took him several years to find his footing at the position, finishing with just 19 receptions for 144 receiving yards after 26 career games. He then showed promising signs of improvement with the Detroit Lions (16 receptions, 173 receiving yards in 2019) before landing with the Commanders.
- Logan Thomas stats (2020-’21): 90 receptions, 866 receiving yards, nine touchdowns in 22 games
Everything came together for Thomas in 2020. He started 15 games, racking up 110 targets and turning the volume of looks into 72 receptions for 670 receiving yards and six touchdowns. Many expected him to accomplish even more in 2021, but he tore his ACL just months after signing a $24 million extension.
Related: Washington Commanders sign Logan Thomas to three-year extension
There is still no clear timetable for his return. John Keim of ESPN wrote in June that Thomas could start the season on injured reserve. While Ben Standig of The Athletic believes there is a legitimate chance Washington’s tight end is inactive Week 1, he still labeled Thomas as a potential breakout fantasy player.
“The thinking is Carson Wentz throws to the tight end position more than any quarterback this side of Lamar Jackson and thrives when looking for big targets. The 6-foot-6 Thomas is the only Washington pass catcher with size, and he could be overlooked in fantasy drafts. The impressive Dotson is the easier call, but the Commanders have a deep bunch of wide receiver and running back types, while Thomas, who caught 72 passes in 2020, is the only tight end with more than one year of experience.”
Ben Standig of The Athletic on Washington Commanders tight end Logan Thomas
While there is no telling when Thomas returns to the field and he will miss valuable time to practice with quarterback Carson Wentz, there is a legitimate argument being made. Mo Allie-Cox and Jack Doyle combined for 88 receptions in 17 games last year and Wentz’s throwing patterns with the Philadelphia Eagles demonstrate his tendency to throw often to big-bodied offensive weapons.
There’s also the possibility that the Commanders find themselves needing to put up plenty of points this season. Washington lands outside the top-20 in Sportsnaut’s NFL defense rankings and that could mean a higher volume of pass attempts than we saw last season.
If that happens and Logan Thomas is cleared to return by Week 3, there’s a realistic chance he could deliver one of the best NFL seasons in his career.
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