After passing his physical following an intense rehab from a knee injury, linebacker Drake Thomas was activated from the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list by the Seattle Seahawks and returned to practice on Monday.
Thomas, who played college football at North Carolina State and amassed 293 tackles and 19 sacks over four seasons, went undrafted in the 2023 NFL Draft. He initially signed with the Raiders, participating in training camp and the preseason before being waived in the final roster cuts. The Seahawks claimed him and added him to their 53-man roster, where he played in seven games and recorded three tackles before leaving a loss to the Ravens on November 12 due to a knee injury.
Placed on injured reserve, Thomas missed the rest of the season. Former coach Pete Carroll did not specify whether he had suffered an ACL tear or a torn patellar tendon. Recently, Thomas was seen running on the practice field with trainers, indicating his return was imminent.
Now back, Thomas is expected to compete at middle linebacker and contribute on special teams, especially since teammate Jon Rhattigan is dealing with a heel injury from Saturday’s preseason win over the Chargers, which may sideline him for some time. Depending on his readiness, Thomas could see some action against the Titans in Saturday’s preseason game, but it is more likely he will be fully in play for the finale against the Browns on August 24, after a few weeks of practice.
With Thomas now activated and vying for a spot on Seattle’s 53-man roster, coach Mike Macdonald provided no updates on the statuses of tackle Abraham Lucas and defensive tackle Cameron Young, who remain on the PUP list with lower body injuries. Safety Jerrick Reed II, who tore his ACL last December, also has not yet returned, and his status remains uncertain as the regular season nears.
