Vikings Re-Sign a Player on His Birthday
While the Minnesota Vikings remain a quiet team this March, they have made it a priority to keep the internal free agents in the building. After already extending Eric Wilson and keeping the restricted free agents on the team, special-teams player Tavierre Thomas has now been re-upped.
It is a birthday present for the veteran who turned 30 on Wednesday.
Adam Schefter broke the news, “Defensive back Tavierre Thomas is signing back with the Vikings on a 2-year deal worth $4.6 million, per agents Drew Rosenhaus and Kyle Lincoln.”
It’ll be the veteran’s second year in purple. He joined the Vikings last offseason and suited up for them in all 17 games.
Shortly after the Schefter post, the Vikings confirmed the new contract for the speedy third-phase player.
Because no player is ever listed as a true special-teamer, Thomas will be a depth defensive back. He played cornerback for most of his career, but was a reserve safety for the Vikings last season.
Thomas started his career as an undrafted rookie out of Ferris State in 2018, signing with the Cardinals. When Arizona showed him the door a few months later, the Cleveland Browns claimed him off waivers. He stayed there for three seasons, then headed to Houston for the next three. In 2024, he spent a season with the Buccaneers.
The defender has gained a ton of experience in his career, appearing in 115 games and even starting 22. Thomas has 1,686 defensive snaps under his belt, including 18 with the Vikings. Even more extensive is his track record on special teams with 2,240 snaps, 371 of those in purple. He was on the field on 83% of Minnesota’s plays in the third phase.
Thomas logged 23 tackles in his debut season with the Vikings. Perhaps more memorable were his frequent penalties, something he might want to reduce entering his second season. PFF charted him with four penalties, some of which were negating returns and therefore were certainly on the more annoying side. Myles Price returned a 99-yard kick return to the house against the Lions in November, but Thomas was caught cheating, wiping the effort off the board.
Once bringing 4.38 speed to the table, he still earned a strong 84.4 special-teams grade despite the penalties, ranking him fourth on the team behind defenders Isaiah Rodgers and Eric Wilson, as well as departed linebacker Austin Keys.
Keeping core special-teamers has quietly been one of Minnesota’s offseason themes under Kevin O’Connell. While headline moves often focus on star players and splash signings, reliable depth pieces are essential across a long NFL season. Injuries, field-position battles, and hidden-yardage situations regularly swing outcomes, and experienced third-phase contributors help stabilize those moments.
Thomas fits that mold perfectly as a veteran presence who understands assignments, embraces his role, and provides insurance in the secondary if needed.
Editor’s Note: Information from PFF, Over The Cap, and Sports Reference helped with this article.