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As we look toward the 2023 regular season, we count down the most important players for the Washington Commanders ahead of training camp. On Tuesday, No. 16 was right guard Sam Cosmi.
We continue our countdown today with No. 15, tight end Logan Thomas.
You could make the argument for Thomas being higher on this list. Why? The Commanders are banking heavily on Thomas returning to his 2020 form this season. Thomas caught 72 passes and six touchdowns that season.
Unfortunately, injuries ruined his 2021 season. He missed several games with a hamstring injury, returned, and tore his ACL in early December. Thomas would recover in time for Week 1 of the 2022 season but was clearly not 100%.
Late in the season, Thomas looked a bit more explosive, leading head coach Ron Rivera to believe Thomas was due for a bounceback in 2023. Many considered Thomas a cut candidate for salary-cap purposes, but Washington has big plans for Thomas in new offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy’s offense.
The Commanders ignored the tight end position in a deep NFL draft class. Washington believed a trio of second-year players, Armani Rogers, Cole Turner and Curtis Hodges, would emerge behind Thomas and blocking tight end John Bates. Sadly, Rogers went down with an Achilles injury on the first day of OTAs and was lost for the season.
Fortunately, Turner has looked the part this offseason and could emerge as the perfect complement to Thomas.
Thomas and quarterback Sam Howell appeared to develop a rapport this offseason. The tight end will be featured in Bieniemy’s offense, meaning there will be an opportunity for Thomas to have a resurgence in 2023.
The Commanders need more from their tight ends in 2023, and that begins with Thomas.