SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - The New England Patriots signed defensive lineman Santonio Thomas to their active roster today. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed. Thomas played in four games for the Patriots earlier this season and has been a member of the team's practice squad since Oct. 29.
Thomas, 26, is in his first NFL season after spending much of the 2005 and 2006 seasons on the Patriots practice squad. He was signed to the active roster on Sept. 8, 2007 and has played in four games this season while being listed among the day-of-game inactives three times. Thomas made his NFL debut on Sept. 9, 2007 in the Patriots' season-opening victory over the New York Jets. He has recorded five tackles (3 solo) this season. He was released from the active roster on Oct. 26 and re-signed to the practice squad on Oct. 29.
The 6-foot-4-inch, 305-pound defensive lineman was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Miami on April 30, 2005. He was released following New England's 2005 training camp and was signed to the practice squad on Sept. 21, 2005. He remained on the practice squad for the remainder of the 2005 regular season and was signed to the active roster on Jan. 6, 2006. He was listed as a day-of-game inactive for both of the Patriots' playoff games following the 2005 season. In 2006, Thomas was signed to the practice squad on Sept. 3 and remained there for the entire regular season and playoffs.
