49ers Must Keep Solomon Thomas Exclusively at the Interior

Solomon Thomas has been a bust.

There is no sugarcoating how his NFL career has gone ever since the 49ers selected him third overall in the 2017 draft.

You can sift through all the factors that have contributed to his extremely underwhelming career. From his lack of motivation, to off-field issues.

However, one main factor that has proven to be a roadblock in his career is how the 49ers use him.

Thomas is a defensive tackle, not an edge rusher. Yet, the 49ers continue to roll him out there as if he is just going to magically start producing as an edge rusher. This isn't a Harry Potter movie where the 49ers can just wave a wand and make him talented defensive end. The coaching staff is essentially trying to fit a triangle into a circle. Most players are not capable of having the versatile talent of going from the inside to the outside.

That is why the 49ers must keep Thomas exclusively at the interior.

"I prefer to play inside," said Thomas at Saturday's press conference. "I like playing nose, I like playing three-tech. The challenges are that I'm smaller and I don't weigh as much as most defensive tackles, so I have no choice but to get off. I have no choice but to attack."

2020 is going to be Thomas' fourth year in the league. You would think that with all of the coaching he has had as a defensive end that he would be decent at it by now. But the reality is that he doesn't have it in him. The 49ers need to just take Thomas for what he is and only blame themselves for over-drafting him.

So what if he can only play inside? It is where he is most useful and really all they can get out of him.

Being at training camp this week, I have gotten a close look at Thomas. When he takes reps on the edge in one-on-ones, he is atrocious. He has zero success whatsoever. But when he gets to kick inside, he actually looks like he fits and doesn't look out of place. There is some success there for him at the interior. He isn't dominating by any measure, but that doesn't mean he shouldn't continue to remain there.

"It's where I feel natural at," Thomas said. "It's where I made my money in college, so it's where I feel good."

He didn't even need to say that. The game film and watching him live in practice in the last year says it all. Now injuries have played a part as to why Thomas is being kicked outside. Sometimes the coaches have to just play with the cards they are dealt, so it is a bit understandable why Thomas was on the edge.

Still, it seems that because they started running Thomas on the edge, they believe there is still a chance he can succeed there because of his size.

Well, he can't.

Thomas must play exclusively at the interior. With DeForest Buckner gone, the 49ers will need lots of bodies to compensate for that loss because it is going to take more than a rookie in Javon Kinlaw to make up the impact Buckner had.

Let's not forget that this is a contract year for Thomas. It would not be too shocking to see him do some good this season at the interior knowing he could salvage his career.

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