The Missing Link: DT Cam Thomas

The Kansas City Chiefs have quietly added the missing link to their defensive line that has been missing since they let Jaye Howard go in a cap related move. That missing link would be the oft traveled veteran Cam Thomas.

One concern you have about any lineman who is 30+ years old is about the wear and tear on their tire tread? In 2016 Cam Thomas played for one of the best offensive lines in the NFL in the L.A. Rams who showcase players like Aaron Donald, Robert Quinn, Eric Sims, and Michael Brockers. Consequently, Thomas played a lot fewer snaps than he probably had hoped for. Here are Cam Thomas defensive snaps for the past few years.

Cam Thomas’ Defensive Snaps Counts

• 2016 – 392 – 32% (Rams)
• 2015 – 187 – 17% (Steelers)
  
• 2014 – 439 – 44% (Steelers)
• 2013 – 473 – 47% (Chargers)

Cam Thomas hasn’t played significant minutes since he was with the Steelers but that wasn’t even 50% of the snaps in 2014. In other words, Thomas is coming to the Chiefs with relatively fresh legs. Not only that but… have you ever heard of the real estate strategy of buying the worst house in a great neighborhood and fixing that house up? Well, since Thomas came from a team with the best (or nearly the best) OL in the NFL, he’s THAT HOUSE. Also, by looking at the Chiefs 2016 DL as a gutted vacant house, Thomas becomes a welcome purchase at the right time.

Jim Schwartz took over as the defensive coordinator in Philadelphia last year and the scheme he used didn’t include as many snaps for the Chiefs other DT acquisition, Bennie Logan, either, who ended up playing only 46% of the Eagles defensive snaps in 2016. What that means is, that both Bennie Logan and Cam Thomas are coming in with much fresher legs.

Whereas Bennie Logan was signed with the intent that he would play full time minutes — after all, Dontari Poe, the DL he was signed to replace, played almost every minute on defense — the design for Cam Thomas appears to be for him to play part time minutes, say, 35-to-45% of the defensive snaps. If that is indeed the design and intent for those two, the Chiefs defense could take a huge leap in their run-defense rank. For the these two defensive linemen to make a big splash and move the Chiefs Run-D from #24 to between a 10-to-15 ranking… looks very, very possible.

Here’s a video of Cam Thomas sacking Cam Newton in 2016. Thomas is wearing #92 in the video but will be wearing #77 with the Chiefs.

The reality of Cam Thomas is that he is likely a boom or bust player. He could be very good and he could end up being a camp body. Here’s hoping!

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