The New York Jets are signing a former No. 3 overall pick, as head coach Robert Saleh is bringing defensive lineman Solomon Thomas back into the fold, per Brian Costello of the New York Post. According to NFL Media's Mike Garafolo, Thomas will receive a one-year deal.
Thomas was drafted third overall by the San Francisco 49ers in the 2017 NFL Draft out of Stanford. He played in Saleh's defense from 2017-20 before joining the Las Vegas Raiders for the 2021 season. In his one season in Vegas, Thomas recorded 34 combined tackles, two forced fumbles, 12 QB hits and a career-high 3.5 sacks despite having zero starts.
Thomas had a solid rookie season for the 49ers, recording 41 combined tackles, three sacks and 10 tackles for loss in 14 games played with 12 starts. He was out-shined by the other talent on the 49ers defensive line, however, as Thomas shared the trenches with the likes of Arik Armstead, DeForest Buckner and Nick Bosa. San Francisco declined his fifth-year option heading into the 2020 season, and Thomas tore his ACL in Week 2 of that year -- coincidentally against the Jets.
Saleh knows Thomas well, and this is an ideal landing spot for a former highly-touted prospect who is still just 26-years-old. In 65 career games, Thomas has recorded 129 combined tackles, 9.5 sacks, 19 tackles for loss and 35 QB hits.
The Jets have had a solid offseason on both sides of the ball. Their key defensive additions include former Seattle Seahawks cornerback D.J. Reed and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers safety Jordan Whitehead.
