Terrell Thomas's career has been derailed by knee injuries, but the 28-year-old cornerback will continue his comeback with the New York Giants after the two sides agreed to a restructured contract on Monday.
Giants re-sign cornerback Terrell Thomas
After missing the last two seasons due to knee injuries, Terrell Thomas will attempt to make a comeback with the Giants next season after agreeing to a restructured contract.
Al Bello
Big Blue View: Full coverage of the move
Thomas missed back-to-back seasons after suffering two ACL tears, the second and third of his career. He signed a four-year contract prior to last season, but was due a $6 million roster bonus in March. Instead of releasing him, the Giants and Thomas worked out a restructured deal which the New York Daily News reports is either a one-year deal or essentially a one-year deal based on the structure.
If Thomas is able to complete the comeback, he would become just the second known player to play in the NFL despite suffering three torn ACLs. Carolina linebacker Thomas Davis is the only known player to accomplish the feat. For now, Thomas said he is just happy to have another opportunity to play.
“I’m blessed and happy to have another opportunity to play football, especially with such a loyal organization, the one I started my career with,” Thomas said in a release by the team. “For them to give me another opportunity to prove myself, I feel very blessed.”
Thomas was once one of the up-and-coming players in the NFL. Prior to the 2011 season, Giants defensive lineman Justin Tuck predicted Thomas would make the Pro Bowl. Instead, he missed the entire season after tearing his ACL in a preseason game. After working his way back, Thomas was in position to make his comeback last season, but slipped on a grass field during training camp, tearing his ACL again.
While he appears to be on his way to a comeback, Thomas may not comeback as a cornerback. Instead, he said his physical play could translate into him making a switch to safety. He said he spoke with Giants general manager Jerry Reese as well as head coach Tom Coughlin and defensive coordinator Perry Fewell. Thomas said all three told him they see him coming back to play corner, but if that doesn’t work out, he make a move to safety. For his part, Thomas said he doesn’t care what position he plays, he just wants to be back on the field.
“At this point, I don’t care if they move me to kicker,” Thomas said. “I just want to play football.”
See More:
