Conversations naturally bubble up when veteran edge rushers like Matthew Judon and Haason Reddick seek trades while looking for new contracts. Judon was dealt from the Patriots to the Falcons; the Jets have publicly said they have no intention of trading Reddick. With Judon 32 and Reddick about to turn 30, neither seemed to fit the current framework of what GM Monti Ossenfort is trying to build.
That doesn’t mean the Cardinals won’t make a move at some point. But they would also like to develop someone like Thomas, who came into college as one of the top recruits in the nation and who holds the physical tools necessary to do damage in the NFL.
“I felt like earlier in OTAs and even earlier in camp, he was just trying to figure it out a little bit,” Gannon said. “When you are trying to figure it out on the fly when the ball is snapped, sometimes your physical traits don’t show up. What I was impressed about with him is, let it rip, cut it loose, however you want to say it, I thought he did that (Saturday). That tells me he’s comfortable, he’s not thinking, and now it shows what he can do physically.
“That jumped off the tape to me.”
Thomas is going to get his opportunities. After Ojulari got hurt the team did sign veteran Marquis Haynes Sr., but he was released a few days later. The team still has a high waiver claim through September. They could still sign someone, or trade.
Thomas, however, has made his presence known and will be analyzed carefully as the regular season approaches.
“Regardless of BJ going down or not, I knew I was going to come in here and make it a competitive level in regards to our room,” Thomas said. “I’m just coming in, growing each day, learning by the minute.”
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