San Francisco 49ers signing tight end Logan Thomas to new deal

The San Francisco 49ers are reportedly finalizing a deal to bring in former Commanders tight end Logan Thomas for the 2024 season. According to NFL insider Mike Garafolo, the deal is nearly complete. It will send Thomas back to the NFC West where he began his career with the Arizona Cardinals as a quarterback.

A former standout at Virginia Tech for three seasons, Thomas entered the league in 2014. The Cardinals snagged him with the No. 120 overall pick in the fourth round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He received his first action on the field, however, as a tight end for the Buffalo Bills in 2017. The Cardinals waived him after one season. He made rounds with the Dolphins, Giants, and Lions before landing with the Bills.

The Buffalo Bills inked him to a one-year deal in 2018 after he posted seven receptions for 67 yards and a touchdown in 2017. After 2018, he signed a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions where he played his first season with more than 100 receiving yards.

It wasn’t until he landed with the Commanders in 2020 that he started to become a valuable asset. Washington signed him on a two-year deal for $6.145 million and Thomas rewarded them with a 72-catch, 670-yard season. He also had a career-high six touchdowns. Heading into the 2021 season, he inked a three-year extension for $24 million, but played just six games that year. Thomas tore his Achilles but returned in 2022 with 323 yards, 39 catches and one score.

Last season, Thomas returned to form. He played in 16 games, tallying 55 catches for 496 yards and four touchdowns.

Though the Commanders and 49ers are in the same conference, they won’t face each other in 2024, unless they meet in the playoffs.

More on the 2024 NFL offseason, free agency

The NFL 2024 calendar year began at 4 p.m. ET on March 13. At that time, contracts running through 2023 officially ran out, making those players free agents. Prior to the beginning of free agency, teams had a chance to designate one franchise or transition tag player, starting on Feb. 20 at 4 p.m. ET and ending on March 5. Beginning March 11 through March 13 teams could enter into a legal negotiation with players who will become unrestricted free agents.

In addition to NFL free agency, the new year also marked the beginning of all trades being made official by the league office. April 19 marked the deadline to sign restricted free agents to offer sheets. On April 24, the deadline for teams to match restricted free agent offers sheets hit. Following the restricted free agent deadline followed the 2024 NFL Draft, which ran from April 25-27.