Eagles Say Goodbye to Former Vikings Defender
At the beginning of the calendar year, the Minnesota Vikings onboarded a veteran cornerback named Ambry Thomas. He didn’t make it out of the summer in Minnesota, later joining the Philadelphia Eagles — but not for long.
Philadelphia cut ties with a former Vikings defender, shifting their defensive depth chart again. The move hints at what’s coming next for the Eagles.
The Eagles released Thomas on Thursday, just beyond the season’s midpoint, so it’s back to the drawing board for the 26-year-old.
Ex-Vikings CB Ambry Thomas Dropped by Eagles
He’ll head back to free agency.
Thomas Out in Philadelphia
That’s all she wrote in Philadelphia for Thomas. PhiladelphiaEagles.com‘s Matt Ryan wrote Thursday, “The Eagles signed defensive end Titus Leo to the practice squad and released defensive back Ambry Thomas. The Eagles signed Thomas to the practice squad in late August. He was a third-round pick by the San Francisco 49ers in 2021.”
Thomas, a once-promising starter with the 49ers, will hit the open market and be free to sign anywhere in the NFL. There’s even a slight chance that the Vikings scoop him for a practice squad reunion.
The Eagles’ CB Room the Rest of the Way
Without Thomas, Philadelphia will lean on this cornerback group for Weeks 11 through 18:
- Quinyon Mitchell
- Cooper DeJean
- Kelee Ringo
- Jakorian Bennett
- Michael Carter II
- Mac McWilliams
- Tariq Castro-Fields (Practice Squad)
- Parry Nickerson (Practice Squad)
Mitchell and DeJean headline the group, two standouts from the 2024 NFL Draft class.
Thomas’ NFL Resume
Here’s Thomas’ NFL destination list through a few seasons:
— San Francisco 49ers (2021–2024)
— Indianapolis Colts (2024)
— Minnesota Vikings (2024-2025)
— Philadelphia Eagles (2025)
The 49ers trusted Thomas with nearly 500 defensive snaps in 2023, and he held his own with a 71.5 PFF grade — the kind of steady, competent mark that makes coaches lean in and wonder if there’s another gear waiting for the long term.
That’s why some Vikings-themed outlets (this one included) and a chunk of the fanbase talked themselves into Thomas as a legitimate summer disruptor in Eagan. He wasn’t just a name on the roster; he was one of those possible late men you stash away in the back of your mind, hoping he turns into something more once the reps stack up. That theory did not materialize.
Across his career, the Michigan alumnus has logged 855 defensive snaps, enough to prove he’s not a stranger to real NFL speed — and enough to keep teams curious about whether he’s still got another chapter left to write.
Time with the Vikings
Minnesota added Thomas to its practice squad late last December, then kept him tethered to the building with a futures deal once the 2024 season wound down. He immediately became one of those quiet roster curiosities — the kind of guy you circle in pencil because the Vikings’ cornerback room never felt fully stitched together all offseason or deep into summer camp.
Truth be told, plenty of folks still think the CB group is hanging together by dental floss, and Thomas at least offered a semi-proven wildcard in the mix.
But the run didn’t last. After eight months in Minneapolis, he’s headed east, hoping Philadelphia was a better landing spot on that club’s practice squad for two months.
Eagles Power Ranking
NFL.com‘s Eric Edholm maintains that the Eagles are the NFL’s fourth-best team entering Week 11.
He explained this week: “On Monday night, the Eagles won another gritty, ugly game — they’re back, baby. Style points don’t apply to this team, which has figured out the formula for this type of victory, even if Nick Sirianni sure did his best to make things interesting late.”
“Things were looking a little dicey when Lane Johnson limped off in the first half with injury, but Philly forged through with a few big drives spurred by just enough explosive plays to get over the finish line in Green Bay. The Eagles’ defense looked championship-quality, and Saquon Barkley made a few tough runs and a great 41-yard catch-and-run to set up what would ultimately prove to be the game-winning TD. Others might have not enjoyed watching this 10-7 contest, but the Eagles seem to lap this stuff up. A big test awaits against the Lions.”
The Eagles downed the Vikings last month at U.S. Bank Stadium by a score of 28-22.
Thomas is a Detroit native and teammate of Vikings safety Josh Metellus at the University of Michigan.
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