Ex-Vikings Defender Secures Deal with Eagles
Around this time last year, the Minnesota Vikings signed a cornerback formerly of the San Francisco 49ers named Ambry Thomas. The veteran defensive back had notable experience, and for a then-skimpy — still skimpy — Vikings CB room, some theorized Thomas as a solution in 2025. Well, that plan did not work out, and one year later, Thomas has re-upped with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Thomas never really cracked Minnesota’s plans, and now he’s chasing a foothold with Philadelphia’s deep CB group.
The Eagles handed out futures contracts this week, and Thomas got the call.
Ambry Thomas Re-Ups in PHI
Hardcore Vikings fans will remember him as a possible CB4 or CB5 option last offseason.
Thomas Back to PHI
Thomas has been locked up for another run in Philadelphia. NFL writer Jonathan Comeaux wrote Tuesday, “The Philadelphia Eagles announced they signed DB Ambry Thomas to a futures deal on Tuesday. Futures contracts are essentially camp invites that will allow players to compete for roster spots during offseason workouts and training camp.”
“Thomas, 26, was a one-year starter at Michigan and third-team All- Big Ten in 2020. The 49ers drafted Thomas with pick No. 102 in the third round.”
The Eagles’ season ended disappointingly in 2025 with a postseason loss to the San Francisco 49ers, but with a new, soon-to-be-named offensive coordinator, they’ll hope for a rebound in 2026 after winning the Super Bowl in 2024.
SI.com‘s Patrick McAvoy on the Thomas transaction: “Philadelphia has been busy handing out reserve/future deals so far this offseason since it was knocked out of the playoffs by the San Francisco 49ers in the Wild Card. The trend continued on Tuesday as the team announced that it has re-signed cornerback Ambry Thomas to a reserve/future deal for 2026.”
“This move doesn’t move the needle on the surface, but Thomas is a 26-year-old cornerback who has been a starter at points in his career so far. With a reserve/future deal, the Eagles are essentially taking minimal risk to see if he can end up winning a job on the roster throughout the offseason. If he makes the team, that would be great and cheap for the franchise. If not, the move doesn’t really hurt the team in any way. This is a good depth move, even if it doesn’t grab headlines.”
The Eagles CBs Under Contract in 2026
Let’s just get this out in the open: the Eagles are not hurting for cornerbacks, not after the 2024 NFL Draft. With Thomas back in the fold, Philadelphia has these cornerbacks under contract in 2026:
- Quinyon Mitchell
- Cooper DeJean
- Adoree’ Jackson
- Kelee Ringo
- Mac McWilliams
- Jakorian Bennett
- Michael Carter II
- Tariq Castro-Fields
- Ambry Thomas
Because of Mitchell and DeJean leading the way, the Eagles have one of the best CB rooms in the business. Thomas, if he stays on the roster through the spring, will fight for a roster spot at training camp and in the preseason.
Thomas’ Career Resume
Here’s Thomas’ destination docket since turning pro in 2021:
- San Francisco 49ers (2021–2024)
- Indianapolis Colts (2024)
- Minnesota Vikings (2024-2025)
- Philadelphia Eagles (2025)
San Francisco gave Thomas nearly 500 defensive snaps in 2023, and he answered with a 71.5 PFF grade — steady, functional work that keeps a player on teams’ radars. That kind of score invites a familiar question in NFL circles: has the ceiling already been reached, or is there another layer buried under the usage?
That curiosity roamed into Vikings circles, this site included. Thomas became a summer placeholder for upside — a name to quietly track through camp reps, with the upside of an eventual roster spot. His resume isn’t empty, either. Eight hundred fifty-five career snaps is real exposure. It’s just that he wasn’t in the cards for the 2025 Vikings.
Pit Stop in Minnesota
Minnesota brought Thomas onto the practice squad in December 2024, then rolled him over on a futures deal once the season ended. He landed in that gray zone players occupy when a position group feels unfinished, as was the case for the 2025 Minnesota squad’s cornerback roster construction.
Eight months later, the path bent east for Thomas, with a brief Philadelphia stop on another practice squad — another reset.
He never took a regular season snap with the Vikings. In fact, Thomas hasn’t seen regular season action since 2023. With that long of a gap, he’ll likely be practice-squad hopping indefinitely.
The Michigan alumnus will turn 27 in the fall.
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