The Jets have re-signed defensive tackle Solomon Thomas.
Thomas (6-2, 256) has played in all 17 games each of the past two seasons for the Green & White after one season with the Raiders in 2021. He's coming of a career-high 5 sacks in addition to 31 tackles and 6 tackles for loss. In 34 games (3 starts) with the Jets, he's totaled 57 tackles, 9 TFL, 10 QB hits and 5.5 sacks.
"Just trusting myself, getting off the ball, understanding my skill set against certain players and being a vet now understanding how to approach this game," Thomas said about his success last season. "So, understanding a lot more and then just executing on it. It was there for me this year and I know there's a lot more out there for me. I just want to keep building off this and make this who I am.
"I had a really good offseason last year and then re-joining this defense around the guys that I've been around. We had a good flow and I was able to really play the ball that I can play. I feel like I'm just starting and I have a lot better ball to play out there. I'm excited about that."
Thomas, the team's 2022 and 2023 Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, was first drafted No. 3 overall in 2017 by San Francisco out of Stanford and spent the first four seasons of his career with the 49ers under head coach Robert Saleh, who was the their defensive coordinator. Entering his eighth NFL season, he's played in 99 games (33 starts) and has 186 career tackles along with 28 TFL, 45 QB hits, 15 sacks and 2 forced fumbles.
He's the third defensive tackle the Green & White have added in free agency. The team also added Javon Kinlaw, Thomas' teammate for one season in SF (2020), and Leki Fotu. Thomas is also the sixth Jet that general manager Joe Douglas re-signed – K Greg Zuerlein, P Thomas Morstead, S Chuck Clark, TE Kenny Yeboah and OL Jake Hanson.
