Whenever Solomon Thomas is in Dallas, there is a good chance that he'll run into fans wanting to take a picture with him. Not because they are San Francisco 49ers fans, though. Odds are, they are Cowboys fans — Cowboys fans who think Thomas is quarterback Dak Prescott.
"I have to say I'm not Dak but I'm still an NFL player. It's funny," shared Thomas.
That little tidbit came courtesy of an AMA Bleacher Report held with Thomas this week (h/t to Keiana Martin for the find). It allowed fans to ask the defender whatever they wanted.
Playing in his fourth NFL season, Thomas appeared in just two games in 2020. He, along with teammate Nick Bosa, suffered a torn ACL during Week 2 against the New York Jets. The 49ers lost several other players to injuries during that game, including quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and running back Raheem Mostert. It was viewed as the catalyst for the team's injury woes this past season.
"That field was terrible," wrote Thomas. "NFL needs to do a better job of making sure that field is in better condition. Our health and safety should come first. They need to work on that."
Added Thomas: "Rehab's been great. I'm tackling it real hard. There's been some ups and downs, but I'm making progress. It's been a lot of great work. I'm in a great place."
Thomas is one of many 49ers players scheduled to become free agents. Last year, the team declined to exercise the former No. 3 overall pick's fifth-year option. When asked about his time in the Bay Area, Thomas spoke in the past tense, saying, "I was blessed to be there."
While Thomas was viewed as a serviceable contributor in his first three NFL seasons, "serviceable" isn't necessarily what is expected of a top-three pick. From a production standpoint, his career has been underwhelming. Thomas recorded just three sacks during his rookie season and then equaled that total over the next two regular seasons, adding one more in a playoff game.
Part of the problem may have been the 49ers' use of Thomas, who was moved around the defensive line, filling in where needed. The coaching staff tried to use him along the edges, but he was clearly more comfortable along the interior.
"We're doing everything we can to make sure that Solly stays inside at all costs," former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, now the head coach of the Jets, said before the start of the 2020 season. "When he is in there, if you look at his tape from a year ago, when he's inside and solely inside, he's a very, very effective football player."
Thomas took 28 snaps along the interior of the defensive line last season before suffering the knee injury, per Pro Football Focus. He took 21 snaps on the edges.
Does the 25-year-old defender expect to return to the Bay Area, his football home since redshirting at Stanford in 2014, next season?
"If the deal is right, I would love to," responded Thomas. "I love what they stand for."