HOUSTON – Tavierre Thomas didn’t expect to ascend to the Texans’ nickel back job quite this way.
Not with one of his best friends, Desmond King, becoming a surprise cut from the Texans’ roster and later joining the Pittsburgh Steelers on a one-year contract.
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Thomas had split up nickel duties in the past with King, his hometown friend he grew up with in Detroit.
Behind the scenes, though, the Texans had been contemplating whether King was a strong fit in their defensive scheme and the fact that his $3 million salary wasn’t guaranteed after paying him a $500,000 signing bonus in the offseason.
King and Thomas were at brunch with their families and had just finished their meal when King got word that he was being asked to come to NRG Stadium to meet with team officials. He was then informed of his release and phoned Thomas.
“It was rough,” Thomas said. “We was out to eat our families at brunch. We was out together and he left. He called me and said, ‘Man they just called me.’ I was like, ‘Man, they must be about to extend you.’ He said, ‘We’ll see.’ He called me back and said, They released me.’
“I was scared myself. I was like. ‘They released him, what about me?’ Like I told him, God don’t make mistakes. You get a new opportunity to go somewhere else and do great things. I was surprised he got released, but I’m not surprised he got picked up so fast. Everybody knew that was going to happen.
#Texans nickel Tavierre Thomas on release of his friend Desmond King who's now with #Steelers and his confidence as a nickel back @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/AfOSqnkKV6
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) August 30, 2023
Now, the Texans are placing their confidence in Thomas.
A former undrafted free agent from Ferris State who previously played for the Cleveland Browns, Thomas was re-signed this offseason to a one-year, $3 million deal that included $500,000 signing bonus and a $1.5 million base salary that’s fully guaranteed, a $250,000 per game active roster bonus and a $750,000 playtime incentive for defensive snaps.
Two seasons ago for the Texans playing for former coach Lovie Smith, Thomas recorded a career-high 86 tackles and had two interceptions with one returned for a touchdown against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Now, he’ll start against Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and Zay Flowers along with teammates that include Jalen Pitre, Jimmie Ward, Derek Stingley Jr. and Steven Nelson.
“I ain’t too worried about them, just going to do my job,” Thomas said. “Whatever happens, I’m going to go out there to make plays and show I’m one of the best nickels in the NFL in the NFL. Jimmy and Pitre watch so much film. Jimmie has seen everything. He’s calling out plays before the play. We all fall into line. I feel like we’re going to be real good. The secondary as a whole, I think we’re going to shock a lot of people.”
Thomas has 174 career tackles, two interceptions, one sack, two fumble recoveries and four tackles for losses.
“I think we feel confident in the players that are here,” Texans general manager Nick Caserio said. “I think secondary, as a whole, we have a lot of players that have a lot of versatility. So, we try to utilize our players to the best of their ability, put them in the best position to go out and execute the defense as best as they can.”
Due to a quadriceps injury, Thomas was limited to 10 games and six starts last season. He still had 41 tackles, one for a loss and one pass defensed.
“Yeah, with our defense, with our defensive backs, linebackers, I feel like we have a very versatile back seven group, and that’s how I look at it,” Texans coach DeMeco Ryans said. “Whoever those seven will be, we’ll make it work. We have a lot of guys who can do multiple things, who have played a lot of good football, and we’ll see how it turns out.”
Thomas is confident in himself, and his teammates, including Arnold.
“Yes sir, we’re going to be ready I know for sure I’m going to be ready and I know Grayland and the other guys will be ready as well,” Thomas said. “Two years straight. I’ve checked a lot of great players. I just got to do my job.”
Aaron Wilson is a Texans and NFL reporter for KPRC 2 and click2houston.com.
