The San Francisco 49ers have released former Clemson Tigers linebacker Xavier Thomas with an injury settlement, ending a stay in Santa Clara that lasted barely two weeks.
Thomas signed a one-year deal on Aug. 12 as the 49ers added depth on the edge during training camp. Ten days later, the team waived him with an injury designation to clear a roster spot for tight end Khalil Dinkins.
After he cleared waivers, San Francisco placed him on injured reserve on Aug. 24. The next day, the 49ers released him with a settlement, freeing him to sign elsewhere once healthy. The nature of the injury has not been disclosed.
The 26-year-old Florence, South Carolina, native is now looking for his next NFL opportunity after stops with the Arizona Cardinals and Houston Texans.
Arizona drafted Thomas in the fifth round, 138th overall, in 2024. As a rookie he played 14 games and recorded 10 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and a pass breakup.
He appeared in four more games in 2025 before the Cardinals waived him in late November. Houston signed him to the practice squad, later added him on a reserve/futures contract, and waived him with an injury designation in May.
College is where Thomas made his name. At Clemson from 2018 to 2023 he played 61 games with 30 starts, finishing with 121 tackles, 17.5 sacks, 34 tackles for loss, six forced fumbles and two recoveries.
He was a two-time third-team All-ACC selection in 2019 and 2021 and a freshman All-American in 2018. Most importantly for Tigers fans, he was part of Clemson’s 2018 College Football Playoff national championship team. He is one of only nine players in school history to appear in 60 or more games.
At 6-foot-2 and 250 pounds, Thomas profiles as a rotational pass rusher and special-teams contributor. That skill set has kept him in the league, even as roster spots have been hard to hold.
The 49ers, like many teams in late August, were making room ahead of the 53-man cutdown deadline.
For Thomas, the latest release is another reminder of how quickly NFL opportunities can open and close. A national champion at Clemson and a draft pick with productive flashes as a rookie, he remains a free agent who can still help a team that needs edge depth.
Whether that next chance comes after he recovers from the undisclosed injury will be the next chapter in a career that has already spanned three organizations in three seasons.
