RADIO
Ian Thomas 2020 Outlook: Getting His Chance To Shine
5 years agoCarolina Panthers tight end Ian Thomas finally gets his chance to shine in 2020. Thomas finished as TE53 last season, catching 16 of his 30 targets for 136 yards and one touchdown. Despite the underwhelming big picture, Thomas showed flashes of major upside late in the season. During Weeks 14-17, a stretch where Greg Olsen missed time and rushed back with an injury, Thomas was targeted 21 times. He caught 11 passes for 108 yards (79% of his season total) and had one touchdown, good for the TE21 during that time. Thomas also finished the 2018 season as TE24 when Olsen missed significant time due to injury. For 2020, Olsen has departed for Seattle, giving Thomas his shot at the starting position. More importantly, Teddy Bridgewater steps in as the starting quarterback, in addition to the organization bringing in new head coach Matt Rhule from Baylor and former LSU offensive coordinator Joe Brady. Brady created a historic college offense last season and has previous experience in the Saints coaching system. Between Brady’s creativity and Bridgewater’s affinity for throwing short, safe passes, Thomas has a real opportunity to shine in 2020. However, there will be plenty of competition for targets in a new offensive system, which makes Thomas’ current ranking on the RotoBaller tight end board (TE22) very realistic for 2020.
