Logan Thomas was a Detroit Lion for a total of two days back in 2016 after the team signed the quarterback transitioning to play tight end to their practice squad.
The Buffalo Bills came calling, and signed Thomas two days after he arrived in Detroit to their 53-man roster. That promotion came with a few regular-season game checks, which made signing with the Bills a pretty easy decision at the time.
Fast forward a couple of seasons, and Thomas is back in Detroit after the team signed him as a free agent this offseason in an attempt to bolster the talent and depth at tight end.
The difference this time around, according to Thomas, is he's much more comfortable with his surroundings.
"It's kind of home now," Thomas said of the switch to tight end after Wednesday's open OTA practice. "Obviously, there's things that I can improve on, but that's why I'm here. I'm out here doing it every day and it's been great."
Thomas says he's glad he made the position switch. He attempted just nine passes his first two seasons in the league playing quarterback, and bounced around to three different teams. He admits at first the switch was a bit of a whirlwind, but said things are beginning to become second nature to him. He's trying to find a role in Darrell Bevell's offense as a No. 3 or potentially No. 4 tight end behind Jesse James and rookie first-round pick T.J. Hockenson.
In 24 games with the Bills over the past two seasons, Thomas had 19 catches. He caught seven balls for 67 yards and his only touchdown in 2017, and had 12 catches for 77 yards in 2018.
He has a big frame (6-6, 250) and runs pretty well for a man his size. He was clocked at 4.61 seconds in the 40-yard dash coming out of college. His athleticism has flashed in Lions OTA and minicamp practices.
The areas of his game he said he needs to work on are building up his playing strength and improving his blocking in the run game.
"It's strength and flexibility for me," he said. "I understand the pass game pretty well. Obviously, I can make improvements there, but my big improvements need to be in the run game. But that's why I'm here. I'm here to work and have fun doing it. It's been a blast."
It's a very different tight end room in Detroit from last season. It's a more athletic and talented group overall, and the expectation is for the position to play a bigger role on offense in 2019.
"I just get to go play ball," Thomas said. "Being able to go play ball, I'm blessed."
