Logan Thomas growing fast as Washington’s top tight end

ASHBURN — When Logan Thomas took his coronavirus test at Washington’s team facility late last month, it came back with an unexpected result: He tested positive. The tight end felt no symptoms, but as a result of the NFL’s health and safety protocols, Thomas was required to be in self-isolation for a minimum of 10 days.

For Thomas, that meant just sitting inside. Alone.

“I hated it,” Thomas said Friday. “You had to be at home … the rest of your teammates are out there getting better.”

Despite the missed days, Thomas has more than made up for it. With a little more than two weeks until the regular season begins, the 29-year-old has emerged as Washington’s No. 1 option at tight end. After cutting Jordan Reed and watching Vernon Davis retire in the offseason, Washington signed Thomas, a former quarterback turned tight end, to be their primary pass-catching threat.

Thomas is still in the process of learning the position — this will be his fourth full season since making the switch. But when examining options in free agency, Washington narrowed in on Thomas as it viewed him capable of taking a sizable jump after he showed flashes in Buffalo and Detroit. The team elected to not spend big money on Austin Hooper and instead went with an unproven Thomas, whose 173 receiving yards last season were the best of his career.

In camp, Thomas has particularly shined in the red zone. Thomas has shown he can use his 6-foot-6 frame, boxing out defenders and hauling in passes from quarterback Dwayne Haskins.

“Logan is showing to be a really good target, especially in the red zone,” coach Ron Rivera said. “You see him kind of developing the rapport you’d love with Dwayne. I think Dwayne’s hit him something like five times in the red zone and in the end zone in the last three days.”

“I just want to be somebody he’s confident in that if he needs to make a play,” Thomas said of Haskins.

Before Washington, Thomas had rarely been a team’s No. 1 option at tight end. Detroit, for instance, drafted T.J. Hockenson with the eighth overall pick last year. Buffalo had Charles Clay.

Instead, Thomas was just trying to make it. Drafted out of Virginia Tech, Thomas spent his first three seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins and New York Giants, bouncing around from practice squad to practice squad. After failing to make it as a quarterback, Thomas switched to tight end during his first stint with the Lions in 2016. He then spent two-plus years with the Bills before ending back with the Lions.

Washington is giving Thomas his biggest opportunity yet, signing him to a two-year, $6 million deal.

On Friday, Thomas was asked if he envisioned being able to establish himself with Washington. Thomas’ contract also means a chance for the tight end to be closer to home, given he grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia and then played college football at Virginia Tech.

“Absolutely, that’s the plan,” Thomas said. “I don’t go into anywhere thinking it’s just going to be one year there. I play with a bigger chip on my shoulder than just one year. I want to play that year out as best as I can and earn something for the next year. … Hopefully, I have a good year and am able to stay around for years to come.”