Tag: A.J. Thomas

Patriots officially announce four roster moves on Friday

It was a busy day for the Patriots

It was a busy Friday for the New England Patriots, who announced several roster moves following training camp practice.

The team revealed the signing of offensive tackle Kellen Diesch and former UFL standout safety A.J. Thomas. In corresponding moves, they also announced the releases of running back Deshaun Fenwick and offensive tackle Tyrone Wheatley Jr.

Diesch has typically served as a practice squad player for the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. He also had brief stints with the Miami Dolphins and Cleveland Browns.

Thomas appeared in six games for the Chicago Bears and mustered only four total tackles. However, he had a stellar run with the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL in 2024, when he led the league with three interceptions.

He finished his UFL run with 23 total tackles and an All-UFL nod.

The Patriots are clearly looking to boost the depth and competition in a safety group that features Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger and Marte Mapu at the top of the depth chart. Thomas is an intriguing addition who could push veteran Jaylinn Hawkins for reps.

Mystery defensive back on Patriots’ practice field revealed on Friday

A mystery defensive back was spotted at Patriots training camp on Friday in a No. 35 jersey

Everyone loves a good mystery, and there was certainly one on the New England Patriots practice field on Friday when an unidentified defensive back in a No. 35 jersey showed up.

According to the Boston Herald’s Doug Kyed, the player was former Birmingham Stallions star safety A.J. Thomas.

Thomas was an All-UFL player and tied for the most interceptions in the UFL last season. He finished the year with 23 total tackles and three interceptions, which aided the Stallions in winning the UFL Championship.

Thomas went undrafted out of Western Michigan and spent over a year with the Chicago Bears. He had limited work on the field with six game appearances and four total tackles in the NFL.

The Patriots already have Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger and Marte Mapu as their top safeties.

Perhaps Thomas is being viewed as potential camp competition for veteran Jaylinn Hawkins as the top depth option in the defensive backfield.

Bears bring back safety A.J. Thomas on practice squad

After being waived, A.J. Thomas is back on the Bears practice squad.

The Chicago Bears signed safety A.J. Thomas to the practice squad on Friday.

Thomas made the initial 53-man roster, but he was waived in a corresponding move after the team claimed former Rams safety Quindell Johnson off waivers. After clearing waivers, Thomas made it back to the team on the practice squad.

Thomas, an undrafted rookie last season, appeared in five games with the Bears last season, including two starts. He made his NFL debut in Week 13 against the Green Bay Packers. In five games, Thomas totaled four tackles.

Here’s an updated look at Chicago’s practice squad:

  1. DL Deslin Alexandre
  2. LB Micah Baskerville
  3. DL Travis Bell
  4. FB Robert Burns
  5. TE Stephen Carlson
  6. OL Aviante Collins
  7. LB DeMarquis Gates
  8. DL Daniel Hardy
  9. DL Jalen Harris
  10. OL Roy Mbaeteka
  11. OL Bill Murray
  12. K John Parker Romo
  13. DB Greg Stroman Jr.
  14. DB A.J. Thomas
  15. WR Nsimba Webster
  16. DB Kendall Williamson

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Grading the Bears’ waiver claims and signings from Wednesday

The Bears added three new players to their roster. Here are our initial grades of the moves.

Like every other NFL front office member, Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles was a busy man over the last 48 hours. Poles and the Bears worked to finalize the initial active roster on Tuesday, but did more tinkering the next day with a couple of waiver claims and a free agent signing.

On Wednesday, the Bears claimed safety Quindell Johnson from the Los Angeles Rams and Khalid Kareem from the Indianapolis Colts. They also signed recently released punt returner Trent Taylor from the Cincinnati Bengals. In order to make room for the two waiver claims, the Bears waived safety A.J. Thomas and defensive end Terrell Lewis. No corresponding roster move has been made as of this writing for Taylor’s arrival.

The Bears were looking for depth at a couple of defensive positions and had a need for a new punt returner. Poles was able to accomplish that and fortify his team for their upcoming Week 1 matchup against the Green Bay Packers.

As for the players themselves, did the Bears hit the mark? Or were there other options on the market that would have been better pickups? Here are our initial grades for Wednesday’s acquisitions.

Chicago Bears 2023 training camp preview: Safety

Up next in our Bears position previews is safety, led by the formidable duo of Jaquan Brisker and Eddie Jackson.

Chicago Bears training camp is just around the corner, so it’s time to start looking ahead at the roster the team is bringing to Lake Forest.

We’re unveiling our Bears 2023 training camp position previews, breaking down every player by position and examining the group’s biggest question.

Rounding out the defense is the safety position, which looked vastly improved in 2022 thanks to rookie Jaquan Brisker and a return to form for veteran Eddie Jackson.

Brisker and Jackson once again are leading the way, but a couple of young players such as Elijah Hicks and Kendall Williamson could show something in camp as reserves.

Here’s a closer look at the Bears’ safeties heading into training camp:

Lions hold ‘local day’ workout for wide range of NFL draft prospects

The local day is a workout and different from the pre-draft visits

The Detroit Lions hosted a diverse group of locally-based 2022 NFL draft prospects at the team facility in Allen Park on Monday for the annual “local day” workout. The range of players ran the gamut from potential No. 1 overall pick Aidan Hutchinson to a Dutch TE (via Eastern Michigan) Thomas Odukoya, who projects as an undrafted free agent.

The local day is different from the regular pre-draft visit. This is more of an actual football tryout for the players, a chance to show what they can do on the field. On-field activities are strictly forbidden on pre-draft visits, which are also (mistakenly) known as “top 30 visits”. This workout is limited to college players who fall within the Lions’ league-defined local area, either by college or from high schools in the area.

Among those who were slated to be in attendance for the closed event:

  • Cincinnati CB Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner
  • Michigan RB Hassan Haskins
  • Michigan EDGE Aidan Hutchinson
  • Saginaw Valley State WR Chad Gailliard
  • Princeton LB Jeremiah Tyler
  • Michigan S Dax Hill
  • Eastern Michigan TE Thomas Odukoya
  • Wisconsin S Scott Nelson
  • Michigan DT Christopher Hinton
  • Ferris State OL Zein Obeid
  • Western Illinois QB Connor Sampson
  • Michigan OL Andrew Steuber
  • Michigan S Brad Hawkins
  • Western Michigan LB/S A.J. Thomas