It’s becoming something of a hard pill to swallow, but it’s appearing as if the San Francisco 49ers whiffed on defensive end Solomon Thomas at No. 3 overall in the 2017 NFL Draft.
Thomas’ rookie season wasn’t particularly great. But like many of us, Niner Noise was hopeful for big things out of the Stanford product this season. After all, he had a full year under his belt and was supposed to be transitioning into a more-clearly defined role in 2018.
It just hasn’t happened.
Less than two years into his rookie four-year deal, Thomas has now been relegated to a mere rotational player, limited to just 163 defensive snaps — substantial, considering the 49ers’ other two first rounders on the defensive line, DeForest Buckner and Arik Armstead, are already above 200.