Bryan Thomas is a career quality starter β a pass rusher whose body of work places Thomas in the top quarter of all players at the position historically. The Knox model values sustained contribution over flash, and Thomas's career arc reflects exactly that kind of reliable professional-grade performance.
Bryan Thomas
Top 17% all-time pass rushersElite Playmaker
Height6'4"
Weight265 lb
BornJun 7, 1979
Age47
CollegeUABSee College Stats
Rookie yr2002
Draft2002 Β· Rd 1, Pick 22 Β· NYJ
A top 20% all-time edge rusher who consistently made an impact across multiple seasons.
Career Value Β· VORP
VORP 134 Β· #745 Β· High-ValueWorth 134 points of value above a freely-available replacement linebacker β top 17% of all 4,642 ranked at the position. 9 of 11 seasons cleared the replacement bar, by +14.9 on average.See board β
Seasons above replacement
9 cleared
Beat replacement (adds to VORP) Below it β adds 0, never a debit
47
Replacement
the KC-H bar
β
9
Seasons over
cleared the bar
Γ
+14.9
Avg surplus
peak +32
9 seasons Γ ~14.9 surplus β VORP 134
Combined Season Grid
The full season-by-season grids, joined on one timeline. Every selected stat family stays visible at onceβno tab hopping.
1 grid split in one view
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Defense | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | |||||
| 2002 | β | NYJ | 5 | β | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | β | NYJ | 14 | β | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2004 | β | NYJ | 12 | β | 34 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2005 | β | NYJ | 13 | β | 27 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2006 | β | NYJ | 16 | β | 59 | 40 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 8.5 | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2007 | β | NYJ | 15 | β | 30 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 2.5 | 6.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2008 | β | NYJ | 16 | β | 49 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 5.5 | 22.5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2009 | β | NYJ | 16 | β | 34 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 2.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 2010 | β | NYJ | 15 | β | 30 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6.5 | 20.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2011 | β | NYJ | 4 | β | 14 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | β | NYJ | 8 | β | 24 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2.5 | 13.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 |
| Career | β | 134 | β | 339 | 216 | 123 | 37 | 39 | 34.5 | 110.5 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | |
Defense
| Season | Age | Team | G | GS | Tkl | Solo | Ast | TFL | QBHits | Sk | Dis | Int | PD | FF | FR | TD | Sfty | VAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 23 | NYJ | 5 | β | 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 1.8 |
| 2003 | 24 | NYJ | 14 | β | 30 | 14 | 16 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5.7 |
| 2004 | 25 | NYJ | 12 | β | 34 | 19 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 5.2 |
| 2005 | 26 | NYJ | 13 | β | 27 | 15 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 6.2 |
| 2006 | 27 | NYJ | 16 | β | 59 | 40 | 19 | 0 | 11 | 8.5 | 19.5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 9.6 |
| 2007 | 28 | NYJ | 15 | β | 30 | 22 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 2.5 | 6.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | 6.7 |
| 2008 | 29 | NYJ | 16 | β | 49 | 31 | 18 | 11 | 6 | 5.5 | 22.5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 10.1 |
| 2009 | 30 | NYJ | 16 | β | 34 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 7 | 2.0 | 15.0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 7.5 |
| 2010 | 31 | NYJ | 15 | β | 30 | 21 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 6.5 | 20.5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | β | 0 | 0 | 8.4 |
| 2011 | 32 | NYJ | 4 | β | 14 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 0.0 | 5.0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 2.1 |
| 2012 | 33 | NYJ | 8 | β | 24 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 4 | 2.5 | 13.5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | β | 0 | 0 | 4.7 |
| Career | 134 | 339 | 216 | 123 | 37 | 39 | β | β | 0 | 11 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 68 |
KV-H Anatomy
KV-H 66 Β· Strong StarterA strong starter career by KV-H: a peak-driven profile that scores 66 of 100, era-normalized against sacks/g peers across 11 scored seasons.
60
Sustained
career value
Γ.6
74
Peak
best 3 seasons
Γ.4
Γ1
Longevity
career length
Blend 65.6 Γ longevity 1 = KV-H 66Β· confidence 92%
What builds the career mark of 60
On-field 43
Availability 17
On-field production Staying available
Season-by-season quality (era-relative sacks/g)
2002bestavg 54elite 702012
All-Time Standing
how this career measures against the all-time greats at the position15
Depth
of 100
Reached 17% of the all-time Sacks leader β a rotational/depth all-time profile at the position.
17% of the all-time Sacks leader17
0 categories β₯25% of the all-time leader0
A 0β100 scale where 100 = matched the all-time leaderat this position. Built only from visible encyclopedia data β career production vs. the all-time leader, plus efficiency (EPA) and comparable-player confidence β so it's a transparent context score, not a subjective rating. Tiers: Elite β₯ 85 Β· Strong β₯ 65 Β· Solid β₯ 45 Β· Depth < 45. Comparable-player confidence: 93%.
Career Aging Trajectory
vs. position group average Β· KV-H basisAmber = this player (normalized to own peak). Indigo = average linebackers aging curve. Group peak age: 25. Source: StatVault KV-H era (1999+).
Combine Β· 2002
Percentiles compare each raw measurement against position peers, the full combine pool, and the same draft class where enough samples exist.
4.47s
40-Yard
Elite Β· 99th pct
Pos 99thAll 83thClass Pos 98thClass All 89th
34.5"
Vertical
Above avg Β· 64th pct
Pos 64thAll 59thClass Pos 63thClass All 53th
33 reps
Bench
Elite Β· 96th pct
Pos 96thAll 96thClass Pos 91thClass All 98th
Postseason Career
10 playoff gamesDefense
Tkl30Solo21Ast9TFL4QBHits3Sk1.5Dis8.5Int1PD2FF1
College stats are not imported for this profile yet.
StatVault has the verified college attribution (UAB), but no parsed college box-score table is present in this profile artifact. The section stays here so every profile has a consistent college-stats landing point without fabricating unavailable rows.
Reference Graph
Career teammates and draft class, derived from year-by-year rosters β every name is linked.
Top Teammates
Shaun EllisDE9yJerricho CotcheryWR7yChris BakerTE7ySione Po'uhaNT7yEric SmithFS7yDavid HarrisOLB6yDarrelle RevisDB6yMike DeVitoDE6yChad PenningtonQB6yCalvin PaceOLB5yLaveranues ColesWR5yEric BartonILB5yKerry RhodesFS5yDavid BarrettCB5yBrad SmithWR5yDewayne RobertsonDT5yVictor HobsonLB5yDustin KellerTE5yKellen ClemensQB5yDrew ColemanDB5yMike NugentK4yJohn AbrahamOLB4yCurtis MartinRB4yBart ScottILB4y
2002 Draft ClassΒ· this player went #22
Franchise Succession
the room, before and afterBryan inherited the New York Jets LB room from Sam Cowart (2002β2004), and handed it to Victor Hobson (2003β2007).
Similar Players
Statistical + physical similarity across every player in the database, position-relevant (0β100%).
Movementderived from season history
- 2012final season
Last recorded season with NYJ
- 2002draft
Drafted by NYJ β Round 1, Pick 22
Athletic & Unique Profile
verified measurements and curated source-tagged facts6'4" / 265 lb
Frame
266 lb at 4.47s
Size-speed
33 reps
Bench power
Injury History
2 career games missed (Out)From nflverse weekly injury reports Β· coverage begins 2009.
| Season | Team | Games Out | Designations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | NYJ | 1 | W2OutΒ· HamstringW3DoubtfulΒ· HamstringW4QuestionableΒ· HamstringW5QuestionableΒ· HamstringW15DoubtfulΒ· ChestW16QuestionableΒ· ChestW17DoubtfulΒ· Chest |
| 2011 | NYJ | 1 | W5OutΒ· Achilles |
Knox
StatVault's proprietary player intelligence, informed by full career data. How Knox works β
Historical Knox Β· KV-H
Era-normalized career quality β z-scored against 11-season peers. See all β
66
peak 74
Season Report CardsΒ· KV-H era-normalized per season
F2002
C+2003
C+2004
B2005
B+2006
C+2007
B2008
C+2009
B+2010
F2011
C+2012
Availability
Career durability β games played vs. scheduled, across 11 seasons.
Era Translator
Sacks translated to the 2025NFL β each season's standing among its own-era peers, projected onto 2025's scoring environment. Modern-era (1999+) coverage.
| Season | Actual Sacks | Sacks/G | β 2025 Sacks | β 2025 /G |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2+1.5 | 0.1 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0.1 | 1 | 0.1 |
| 2004 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2+0.5 | 0.1 |
| 2005 | 4 | 0.3 | 5+1 | 0.3 |
| 2006 | 8.5 | 0.5 | 9+0.5 | 0.5 |
| 2007 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 3+0.5 | 0.2 |
| 2008 | 5.5 | 0.3 | 6+0.5 | 0.3 |
| 2009 | 2 | 0.1 | 2 | 0.1 |
| 2010 | 6.5 | 0.4 | 8+1.5 | 0.5 |
| 2011 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2012 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 5+2.5 | 0.3 |
Data: nflverse:players, nflverse:player_stats_def, nflverse:combine, nflverse:draft_picks, nflverse:injuries Β· multi-source verified via the StatVault Oracle Β· updated 6/18/2026
Career Value Β· VORP
134 career value over replacement β #745 all-time of 4,642. 12.2/season above a replacement-level LB.
Draft OutcomeValue β
Pick #22 (Rd 1) Β· NYJ Β· 2002 Β· +9.5 vs expected KV-H
66actual
56.5 expected Β· Ξ+9.5
Fan Rating
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