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'It feels like he has kind of been reborn again' - Pete Carroll gets serious about a player's offseason who has been overlooked

Originally posted on A to Z Sports | By Justin Churchill | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 4:37 PM ET

The Las Vegas Raiders made a ton of moves this offseason when the new regime came in -- moves that the new regime felt were necessary to make the jump from a four-win team to a team that can compete for a wildcard spot.

That's what they're going for, as Pete Carroll, the new head coach and former Seattle Seahawks head coach, has said a million times, that they want to win now. Not win a Super Bowl now, because that's not really that realistic, but win now as in being a winning team. And, to do that, you need depth, something that doesn't get as much love as it should.

Not only did the Raiders add pieces that are starters and immediately give the Raiders a better offense, just on paper, or a better defense on paper, but they also added some players that are going to help fill this roster out and make it deeper.

One of the guys they signed that could be huge in that depth area for 2025 isn't even being talked about, yet, he's resurging as we speak.

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"We have had influence from guys -- Ian Thomas has had a tremendous camp with us. It feels like he has kind of been reborn again. With a stout tight-end group, he gives us a new factor," head coach Pete Carroll said during Media Day on the Raiders YouTube broadcast.

Thomas, the former Carolina Panthers tight end, is coming over looking for a chance to just compete and help a team win. He hasn't had that great of a career, well, as good as maybe he would have liked and what others thought he would do, but the Raiders have faith that he can be a great TE3 behind Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer.

Thomas is a good blocking tight end, which is really what the Raiders need. He can get out and catch the ball, too, obviously, but they don't need too much of that when you have the two guys that they have in front of him, especially Bowers. They need guys who will do all of the dirty work and step up when their name and numbers are called.

Thomas will do that, and it seems he is having a huge offseason.

This article first appeared on A to Z Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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