Commanders News: Sam Howell, Eric Bieniemy, Logan Thomas and Jamin Davis

Could the Commanders trade Logan Thomas?

It was encouraging to see Logan Thomas going through some practice drills on Wednesday. The veteran tight end missed a number of weeks through a calf problem, but all signs point to being ready for Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals barring any further complications during his rehabilitation.

The Washington Commanders placed an incredible amount of confidence in Thomas this offseason. But the growing influence of John Bates and second-year-pro Cole Turner means there are quality options if the converted quarterback suffers more regular-season problems on the health front.

Alex Kay of The Bleacher Report had a more drastic perspective on Thomas. The writer named the former Virginia Tech standout as one player that could be traded ahead of final cuts, which would be a shocking development given the injury to Armani Rogers and the inconsistent production of Curtis Hodges.

"Logan Thomas' longstanding tenure with the Washington Commanders has been marred by health issues and poor production. Although he's shown some elite potential on plenty of occasions, he's never been able to harness that talent with any consistency. A fresh start for both sides may make the most sense here. Given [John] Bates' noticeable improvements and [Cole] Turner's potential, the Commanders should be shopping Thomas around right now. The team would benefit more from clearing the path for these younger prospects to shine while also clearing almost $7 million off the books by dealing or releasing Thomas."

- Alex Kay, The Bleacher Report

This makes a lot of sense, even though it's piling more pressure on Turner despite his encouraging offseason. Keeping him around in 2023 is highly likely, but Thomas is a prime cut candidate next spring unless he becomes one of the league's best at the position.