Thomas answers the call at linebacker

Dontarrious Thomas had just boarded a plane in Dallas on Sunday when he got a text from his agent informing him that the Vikings were interested in signing him.

The one-time Vikings linebacker was headed for Miami for a scheduled workout with the Dolphins on Monday. But the Vikings had an immediate need -- and job available -- and Thomas jumped at the opportunity to return to the team that drafted him in the second round in 2004 and served as his home the past four seasons before signing with the San Francisco 49ers in February.

"I told the [flight attendant], 'Um, I've got to get off the plane,'" Thomas said Monday after signing with the Vikings. "I said, 'I have an emergency back home and have to get off the plane.'"

Actually, the Vikings had an semi-emergency after getting hit hard by injuries at linebacker. Middle linebacker E.J. Henderson is out for the season because of a foot injury. His backup, David Herron, suffered multiple injuries in Sunday's 12-10 victory against the Detroit Lions and is "beat up" physically, according to coach Brad Childress.

Childress said Thomas could play Sunday against the Bears.

"What he does is he gives us a guy who's familiar with our system," Childress said. "Obviously he didn't want to leave, but he had to go for the money in free agency. It didn't work out there in San Francisco for whatever reason. But he still looks like he possesses some tools. He knows our drill. He knows the linebacker coach, he knows the system, he knows the special teams, he knows our values."

Thomas recorded 143 tackles in 59 games with the Vikings the previous four seasons as the primary backup to all three linebacker spots. Thomas, however, wanted an opportunity to start, so he signed a two-year free-agent contract with the 49ers that was worth a reported $1.65 million in February.

But he did not make the team out of training camp.

"You can't look in the past," Thomas said when asked if he regrets leaving in the first place. "You've just got to look forward. Things just didn't happen. It was an opportunity that I thought was there but it just didn't happen. But I'm back here so everything worked out."

Thomas worked out for several teams after being cut, including the Vikings two weeks ago.

"Fortunately while I was here I was able to play all those positions and learn the defense in-depth," he said. "That's one of the things that they looked at when they brought me back, that I can step in and be able to ... the learning curve won't be so big."

Childress said the team will see how things progress this week before deciding whether Thomas will play middle linebacker or on the outside. The team also could move outside linebacker Ben Leber to the middle and have Thomas play on the outside.

The team cleared room for Thomas by placing rookie offensive tackle Drew Radovich on injured reserve.