Thomas originally injured his foot during the Patriots' offseason program last summer and landed on the PUP list at the start of training camp. He missed all of camp before landing on the 53-man roster on the final cutdown.

At the time, Bill Belichick noted that the 24-year-old Thomas came back "as quickly, or probably more quickly, than anyone expected him to." But once he sustained another foot injury during the regular season, the Patriots scrambled to sign backup Marcellus Rivers, who came and went as needed.