4 Commanders players that can’t afford to start 2023 on a sour note
By Dean Jones
Logan Thomas - Commanders TE
When Eric Bieniemy was hired to run the Washington Commanders' offense from top to bottom, it wasn't hard to see that changes would be coming to the playing personnel and staffing structure. While that's been the case, the franchise did almost nothing to bolster its tight-end options during free agency and the 2023 NFL Draft.
A reinforcement did arrive thanks to Armani Rogers tearing his Achilles, which was a body blow. But it puts the onus squarely on Logan Thomas to stay healthy and become a bigger factor with Bieniemy leading the charge.
Thomas was seen as a potential cut candidate this offseason, but Bieniemy seems to like the former quarterback. He's also looked the part during OTAs, creating separation and doing a nice job of finding spot spots in the red zone for decent gains.
Considering how impactful tight ends were within Bienemy's system on the Kansas City Chiefs, a situation could emerge where Thomas benefits most from his high-profile switch. While he might not have Travis Kelce's set of skills, there is enough from a size and athleticism standpoint to suggest a return to his 2020 form is possible at the very least.
However, if the Virginia Tech product fluffs his lines, then the Commanders could quickly turn to Cole Turner, John Bates, or even Curtis Hodges instead. These are three high-upside players that are capable of further improvements.