San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Solomon Thomas has been running for a few weeks now and feels his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered early last season is going well. Thomas spoke with Michael Robinson this weekend and provided an update on his progress.
"I'm feeling really normal and feeling strong," Thomas said on NFL Network. "I really believe I'm ahead of schedule. I'm excited. I'm hungry to get back on the field. I miss it more than ever. So, I'm just getting my body ready, getting ready to go."
The question is whether or not that will be with the 49ers. Thomas is scheduled to become a free agent on Wednesday, and there haven't been many rumors or chatter about his future with the team. For now, the former No. 3 overall pick is just looking for the perfect fit, whether that's with San Francisco or elsewhere.
"I love the 49ers. I love the coaching staff there," Thomas shared. "Coach (Kyle) Shanahan is amazing. Coach (Kris) Kocurek, the defensive line coach, I'm really close with him. So, that would be a place I'd want to go back to, but if it doesn't work out, I know there's a place for me that will let me go inside and wreaked havoc. I believe I can be a defensive tackle who can make some damage in this league, and that's what I'm trying to do."
Playing inside is definitely what Thomas prefers. He has been utilized both inside and outside by the 49ers during his four NFL seasons. Some have questioned if playing the defensive lineman along the edge was the best use of his talents.
"I would definitely say that I like playing inside," Thomas said. "That's where I made my bread and butter at Stanford. I like playing from that 3-technique. I think I can be real disruptive there. I can get into guards. I mean, I can be a great pass rusher off the edge there (too). I really like the inside, but I also think that's what makes me special—my versatility and to move to the outside if you need (me) to. But inside, I feel like is where I can make my money."