Former Vikings running back lands a job with the Jaguars
By Adam Patrick
After recently being released by the Minnesota Vikings, running back Roc Thomas signed a deal to join the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday.
As an undrafted rookie last year, running back Roc Thomas wasn’t given much of a shot to make the final roster of the Minnesota Vikings. But Thomas had a good training camp and he performed well enough during the preseason that the Vikings decided to keep him around for the 2018 regular season.
He ended up appearing in only five games for Minnesota last year, gaining a total of 30 rushing yards on eight carries and catching two passes for 21 yards.
Following the conclusion of the Vikings’ 2018 season, Thomas found himself in a bit of hot water with the team after he was arrested in January on charges of felony marijuana possession. After the incident, the NFL handed the young running back a three-game suspension for violating the league’s policy on substances of abuse.
Recently, Minnesota decided to part ways with Thomas. The Vikings have claimed that the decision to let him go was not due to his suspension, but one has to believe that it played a part in the running back being shown the door.
Well, it didn’t take long for Thomas to land with another NFL team as the Jacksonville Jaguars announced on Sunday that they have signed the former Minnesota running back.
Thomas will join a Jaguars offensive backfield that currently includes Ryquell Armstead, Alfred Blue, Benny Cunningham, Leonard Fournette, and Devante Mays. Outside of Fournette, who is expected to open the season as the starter, Jacksonville doesn’t really have a ton of talented running backs on their current roster.
Compared to his situation with the Vikings, Thomas’ chances of making a regular season roster this year seem much higher now that he is part of the Jaguars.
Even if he does end up making Jacksonville’s final 2019 roster, the young running back won’t be eligible to appear in a game until the team’s Week 4 matchup against the Denver Broncos.