The San Francisco 49ers are moving on from a player who many questioned why he was still on the roster.
Ambry Thomas, a 3rd-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Michigan was waived by the 49ers on Tuesday. Thomas has missed the entire season with a fractured forearm sustained in August. Over his three seasons with the Niners, Thomas appeared in 42 games with 11 starts, registering two interceptions, 12 passes defended, a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
Thomas was drafted by the Niners with the hopes that he would develop into a starting corner. Thomas got starting opportunities in 2021 and 2023. During his rookie season, he played 333 snaps, giving up a passer rating of 118. He would found to be a complete liability on the field, which, combined with a poor camp performance, led to his diminished playing time in 2022.
Out of complete necessity last season, the 49ers had to turn to Thomas after benching nickel back Isaiah Oliver. Thomas would play nearly 500 snaps, allowing a passer rating of 97.9. His play was so bad that the 49ers had to sign Logan Ryan out of retirement. Ryan registered a passer rating of 78.5, an upgrade fresh off the couch compared to Thomas.
With the 49ers drafting cornerback Renardo Green in the second round, impressive play from fourth-year defensive back Demmodore Lenoir, and offseason signings of veterans Isaac Diadem and Rock Ya-Sin who have gotten playing time this season, Thomas' future with the team looked bleak before the season even started. Add in the injury history, and Thomas no longer had a place on the team.
Following the waiving of Thomas, the 49ers also announced they've signed offensive lineman Austen Pleasants and linebacker Chandler Wooten to the practice squad, while tight end Mason Pline has been placed on the practice squad IR.
