Quarterback Taylor Heinicke has the Washington offense playing at a high level after two consecutive wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Carolina Panthers.
Now, more help could be on the way for Heinicke after his two best performances of the season.
According to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, starting tight end Logan Thomas is expected to return to practice this week.
The Washington Football Team, winners of 2 in a row, are getting reinforcements. Source said TE Logan Thomas, on IR with a hamstring injury since Oct. 6, is expected to practice this week. He hasn’t been fully cleared yet to return, but the plan is to do so and start his clock.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 22, 2021
This is big news for Washington. Thomas, who injured his hamstring early in a Week 4 loss to the Atlanta Falcons, has been on injured reserve since that time. Before his injury, Thomas caught 12 passes for 117 yards and two touchdowns in Washington’s first three games.
With Thomas out, Ricky Seals-Jones acted as Washington’s starting tight end. Seals-Jones has played well, but, he too, missed Washington’s Week 11 win over the Panthers. Rookie John Bates started the game and played a pivotal role in the win, with several key blocks in the run game and a massive fourth-down reception on a late scoring drive.
While Thomas is returning to practice this week, it doesn’t mean he will play on Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks. It does start his clock for being activated from IR.
When Thomas returns, it opens up more possibilities for offensive coordinator Scott Turner. The trio of Thomas, Seals-Jones and Bates have all proven they can play. Thomas and Bates can block, making Washington’s running game more diverse. The running game has proven to be a strength in recent weeks.
Thomas gives Heinicke another weapon in the red zone, an area where the team has struggled during Thomas’ absence.