Bounce-Back Candidate: Solomon Thomas

Solomon Thomas will be looking for a fresh start in his career with the Las Vegas Raiders after struggling with the San Francisco 49ers.

Teams across the NFL have players who will be looking to rebound from sub-par seasons, and the Las Vegas Raiders are no exception.

The Silver and Black have several players who are looking to re-solidify themselves after struggling in 2020.

For defensive end Solomon Thomas, he's not only looking for a return to form, he's looking to prove he's not a bust and can hang in the NFL. 

That's how tough his first four seasons with the San Francisco 49ers went after being selected as the No. 3 overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft. 

Considered to be a very safe pick at the time, Thomas' numbers simply haven't measured up to his draft status. 

Thomas had only as many as three sacks in a season, with that coming in his rookie year. 

He's never been rated higher than 68th in Pro Football Focus' defensive line rankings, and played in only two games last season because of injury. 

Coming into Las Vegas, this might end up being the last chance Thomas has to prove he can at least be an effective part of a defensive line rotation. 

Fortunately for him, the Raiders have built up a reputation over the decades as a franchise that has proven adept at giving struggling players a second life. 

Quarterback Jim Plunkett was another former Stanford standout who was the No. 1 pick in 1971 but didn't last with either the 49ers or New England Patriots before coming to the Raiders. 

Plunkett would then finish his career with the Silver and Black as a two-time Super Bowl champion and a Raiders legend forever. 

It remains to be seen whether Thomas can come close to that feat, but he'll have the opportunity to do so for a Raiders defense that needs difference-makers to emerge. 

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