The clouds have cleared and the sun is shining, finally, for Logan Thomas.

He has gone from being an NFL leader in receiving pink slips to someone capable of being a leader in receiving passes.

“I’m feeling very confident and comfortable. I understand what I need to do here,” the Washington Football Team tight end told the media at the opening late last month of the NFL team’s training camp at the Bon Secours Training Center in Richmond.

The confidence has replaced the troublesome case of jitters and spirit crushing on the final day of cuts.

“I kept getting cut and cut again and cut again,” he said of his first six NFL seasons.

In all, Thomas was cut- released-waived—take your pick for terminology—a total of eight times by five different teams, the Arizona Cardinals, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants, Detroit Lions and Buf- falo Bills.

Thomas arrived at the Washington camp as an unheralded free agent a year ago on a $1.2 million contract with little guaranteed. He could have been pointed toward the exit sign at any time.

Wearing burgundy and gold, his career took off like a spacebound rocket at Cape Canaveral.

With success comes the spoils.

Following his dramatic breakout performance, Thomas now is working on a three-year pact worth about $24 million, with at least $10.3 million guaranteed.

Here’s how Thomas gradu- ated from an NFL version of “rags to riches.”

In 2020, he collected 72 re- ceptions (the third most among NFL tight ends) for 670 yards and six touchdowns. Before last season, he had just 35 catches for his pro career.

What’s more, he made his bold statement with a carousel of revolving quarterbacks, Dwayne Haskins, Kyle Allen, Alex Smith and Taylor Hein- icke. As soon as Thomas grew used to one, there was someone else taking the center’s snaps.

Now it appears newcomer Ryan Fitzpatrick, a free agent from Miami, will be throwing the spirals, although former Old Dominion University star Heinicke remains an option.

There are few better— or much smarter—all-round athletes around the NFL than Thomas. Along with his foot- ball exploits at Brookneal High School near Lynchburg, he starred in track and field, earning All-State honors in the high and intermediate hurdles, high jump and discus. He was also Seminole District long jump champ.

From Brookneal, Thomas went on to become a three-year starting quarterback at Virginia Tech (after backing up Tyrod Taylor as a freshman), pass- ing for 9,003 yards and 52 touchdowns.

At the NFL pre-draft combine in 2014, Thomas ran the 40-yard dash in 4.61 seconds and long jumped 9-foot-10, most impressive for a man measured at 6-foot-6 and weighing 240 pounds.

Mentally, he drew rave re- views, too, posting a 29 on the Wonderlic cognitive ability test. Average score for a quarterback is 24; for a tight end, 22.

Drafted in the fourth round in 2014 by the Arizona Cardinals, Thomas never gained traction as a quarterback and the slow transition to tight end began. He ricocheted around from team to team and became accustomed to disappointment until Washington gave him what just might have been his last chance.

Some might consider this a story with a happy ending. Only in Thomas’ case, the best part of the story is just getting started.