Short Term Thomas

According to the player as reported in the Boston Globe, Adalius Thomas expects to be released by the Patriots soon, leading me to wonder if maybe there's a fit for him in Eagle green. The man is 6'-2", 270, highly experienced at playing inside, and I suspect he's got at least 1-2 years left of tread on the tires. The bad year in Boston seems to be more a personality conflict with Coach Belicheat, and while the Eagles have had any number of bad experiences with linebackers with miles on them... well, Thomas is just a higher grade of player at his height.

I also like his chances of coming back fully from a broken arm and giving the team a reasonable coverage option against the TEs that have made life miserable for the team for the past five years. And while he's 32, linebacker is a position where players can age a little better than most, especially if, like Thomas, they grew into the position, rather than start on Day One. (Thomas was a seventh round pick that Baltimore coached up.)

Realistically, Thomas' first option would be to go to the Jets, where he would be reunited with Rex Ryan from his Baltimore days. and he'll have maximum vengeance potential against the Patriots. He'd also be with a team that looks like it's got everything going for it, defensively; top-ranked in 2009, with a ball control offense and a cold-weather climate. But if it doesn't work out for him in New York for any reason, Philly seems like the next best option, given that it's still the same climate. But it is, of course, not really their style.