Chad Thomas NFL Cut: Reasons and Analysis

Nov 20, 2025 0

As the Cleveland Browns finalized their 53-man roster, several surprising moves were made. Among them was the release of defensive end Chad Thomas, a third-round pick in 2018. This decision raised questions, as Thomas was expected to step up in the 2020 season. Let's delve into the reasons behind this unexpected cut.

The Browns waived several players who were drafted by former general manager John Dorsey, including Chad Thomas and wide receiver Damion Ratley.

For a Browns team in transition again, the mystery lies more in how the players perform than in who’s on the team for this latest ride. It’s important to remember that this is just the first roster.

Waiver claims can be made Sunday afternoon, and Sunday opens the “injured-reserve but eligible to return” window for any player who is not a vested veteran. Teams can make waiver claims and start building their expanded 16-man practice squads on Sunday.

Kevin Stefanski watches 11-on-11 drills in training camp, August 29, 2020, in Berea.

Performance and Expectations

Although the statistics weren’t there yet, the former John Dorsey pick in 2018 was expected to finally turn on the jets in 2020. While Thomas wasn’t going to compete with Myles Garrett or Olivier Vernon for starting time at defensive end, there was a thought he would be a tremendous backup option along with Adrian Clayborn.

In two seasons with the Browns, Thomas had eight starts and four sacks. When the Browns traded Genard Avery, the belief at the time was Thomas would overtake that position. Unfortunately, the only thing that happened was fans became enraged that Avery was ever traded.

Last season, Thomas finished third on the team with four sacks behind Garrett (10) and Larry Ogunjobi (5.5). Despite efforts to to step up his performance, he got caught in the numbers game at end.

Roster and Coaching Changes

The release of Thomas further solidifies the over hype of previous general manager Dorsey. While Browns fans were finally excited to have some real talent on the roster, Dorsey often didn’t worry about character issues or depth, which new general manager Andrew Berry is now tasked with.

With Thomas now a free agent, look for Porter Gustin to be the backup defensive end along with Clayborn. Gustin has been a strong performer this year at training camp, and with the Dorsey administration now out, the third-round pick spent in 2018 means nothing to Berry nor Stefanski.

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Kevin Stefanski brought a run-heavy, wide-zone scheme to the Browns, and the initial 53-man roster General Manager Andrew Berry assembled Saturday reflects the identity the head coach hopes the offense establishes.

Chad Thomas (Major Nine) 2019 Cleveland Browns Highlights

Team Strategy and Philosophy

Stefanski is known for regularly using multiple-tight end sets. According to ESPN Stats and Info, the Minnesota Vikings had two tight ends on the field 57 percent of the time when he was their offensive coordinator.

In a news release, Stefanski said the Browns “didn't have any hard, fast rules” about how many players they would keep at a given position. But he also pointed out he and Berry “share a vision of how this team is going to play,” and their philosophy shapes decisions along with the performance of players.

“We want to be deep at positions that an offensive and defensive system emphasize, but it's a credit to the players at those spots,” Berry said in the release. “They're good football players and they had strong camps and they earned those roster spots for the time being.”

Of the 53 players on the roster, 33 were on the team last season. Of the 20 newcomers, 11 were signed as free agents, six were drafted, two arrived via trade and one was claimed off waivers.

Berry executed all of the cuts without the benefit of spring practices or preseason games, all of which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Training camp practices held the past three weeks were the only recent auditions for players.

“We always take and evaluate all the training camp practices, evaluate every snap, every rep and really try and get as good of a feel for our guys as we can,” Berry said. “We worked closely with our coaches and solicited their feedback as well as from our pro staff and our scouts.

Other Notable Cuts and Roster Decisions

Damion Ratley: Missed most of training camp due to injury.
Garrett Gilbert: Waived but expected to be signed to the practice squad.
A.J. Green: Undrafted rookie cornerback who the Browns hope to sign to the practice squad.
Tight Ends: The Browns kept five tight ends, reflecting Stefanski's offensive strategy.

Given the shortened training camp and COVID-19 restrictions that complicate the process of new players entering team facilities, it’s unlikely that the Browns will add more than 1-2 players to their active roster in the coming days as they turn their focus to next week’s season opener.

Practice Squad and Veteran Players

Though players like Ratley, Gilbert, Olumba and Thomas might attract interest from other teams, the Browns will attempt to sign around half of the players waived Saturday to their practice squad. New this year is that teams can sign up to six veteran players to their practice squads.

In previous years, teams could use salary incentives to keep certain players on the practice squad. That strategy is out under this year’s rules. Veteran players on the practice squad will make $12,000 per week, while younger players will make $8,000 per week.

Ultimately, the decision to cut Chad Thomas reflects a combination of factors, including performance evaluations, changes in team management and coaching philosophy, and the strategic need to build a roster that aligns with the Browns' vision for success.