FRISCO, Texas — Juanyeh Thomas is all smiles these days. He has plenty of reason to, for the record, considering he recently signed his contract to remain with the Dallas Cowboys for the 2025 season and, given the changes in coaching and within the depth chart, there being a very real chance the young safety could see more playing time going forward.

The departure of Jourdan Lewis to the Jacksonville Jaguars in free agency creates a gargantuan void at the nickel corner position, one big enough to be categorized as a black hole by NASA scientists.

Thomas is being pulled in by the gravity of the situation, taking some reps in OTAs at nickel.

"I don't mean to sound cocky but I can play in any spot," Thomas said. "So it's just knowing, learning, every single spot. And when your number is called, you have to be ready. That's what I take into account: whenever my number is called, I've got to be ready to go in at corner, nickel, or safety.

"I really take that [seriously] with my game, for real."

This type of versatility makes it more and more challenging to keep Thomas off of the field, adding in his special teams ability, e.g., the game-sealing touchdown return against the Washington Commanders in the 2024 upset at FedEx Field.

"Whatever my coach tells me he needs me to play, I'm there and ready for it," said Thomas.

This would make it fitting to see Thomas donning Lewis' former number in Dallas (No. 2), also noting he still plans on picking the latter's brain from time to time, despite the inability to simply walk over to his locker for the intel as he so often did in the past.

There's another reason Thomas is grinning ear-to-ear though and, as he tells it, that's due to the injection of energy from Brian Schottenheimer in his first year as head coach. It's something Schottenheimer prides himself on as he works to maneuver the culture in Dallas into what he hopes will be viewed as "the best in any sport" — from competitive games in the locker room to carrying the "juice and vibes" on the practice field that players of this generation can relate to.

"The type of athletes and type of young men that we're dealing with has changed," Schottenheimer said as OTAs conclude and mandatory minicamp approaches. "I believe that the coach's responsibility, first and foremost, is to create a great practice environment. What do I mean by that? If we don't have energy, and we're not into it, and we're not running around, and we're not talking sh-t, then the players aren't gonna be able to do that, because they're going to follow our lead.

"And when we show them that we're gonna let our personality shine and we're gonna be who we are and be joyful out of practice, then they're gonna do that."

Thomas couldn't agree more.

"Honestly, coming out, I can feel a change in the energy of the team," he said. "We're happy to be at practice, and it's the same energy every day. So we're going to take that into minicamp, and then keep this thing rolling for real. I'm having fun, man.

"You watch me every day, man.
I'm happy. I got a smile on my face. I'm blessed."

This could ultimately prove to be the most important season of Thomas' young career, and he's in a great space mentally to try and make that true, regardless of what position he's put in weekly. So while not even light can escape a black hole, no one said Thomas was ever trying to.

It's the only possible approach for someone hoping to have an interstellar season.