Just as the Kansas City Chiefs were scheduled to turn in the first iteration of their active roster for the 2024 regular season, the team had a number of surprising moves to announce. It was a frenzy of activity that showed the front office felt unsettled about a number of areas. Consequently, general manager Brett Veach approved a few moves to help bolster the team's roster.
Along with the signing of running back Samaje Perine and a minor trade with the Cowboys for tight end Peyton Hendershot, the Chiefs also worked out a smaller trade with the Arizona Cardinals. The target for the Chiefs was pass rusher Cam Thomas, a player who led the Cards in sacks during the preseason and looked like he might be turning a corner at the professional level.
The Cardinals were getting ready to release Thomas despite his impressive summer due to the depth at the position and the failure of Thomas over the last few years to produce when it matters. That left them happy to get anything in return for an expiring asset. For the Chiefs, the trade allowed them to leap over the waiver wire and secure Thomas's services without having to cross their fingers and hope Thomas fell to them.
The Cardinals invested a third-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Thomas but a regime change in leadership the following year left Thomas on the outside looking in. Two unproductive seasons left him on the fringes of the '24 roster, so when the Chiefs offered up something—even one as minor as a future 7th-round choice—they took it.
The move was described as a savvy one by Veach considering the cost and potential upside. Thomas had two years of rookie salary left, which made him a cost-controlled asset in case he would go on to bloom in a new environment. Plus the Chiefs were dealing with the uncertainty of Felix Anudike-Uzomah's second season, Charles Omenihu's recovery, and B.J. Thompson's future.
Unfortunately, through 10 weeks, Thomas has taken on the same afterthought role in K.C. as he played in Arizona. In fact, the Chiefs have worked around Thomas quite a bit. Despite Mike Danna's injury, the Chiefs have only left Thomas active on a single game day and even then, he only played a total of six snaps.
Earlier this month, the Chiefs made another move at the position and traded with the Patriots for Joshua Uche. If Thomas has been able to provide anything of value, it's likely that Uche would have been left on the shelf by Veach for the sake of help at other positions (perhaps corner or tackle). Yet even as Uche has yet to offer up much himself, Thomas remains on the side while the likes of Malik Herring earn more snaps.
It's not as if the Chiefs have ever asked Thomas to do any heavy lfiting. A handful of solid snaps would do the trick here from someone. It's just frustrating that Thomas has yet to turn into that someone at a position of need. There's still time on the clock but so far the verdict here is not good.
