ASHBURN, Va. -- Washington Redskins safety Phillip Thomas will visit Dr. James Anderson in North Carolina to see if he can determine the cause of Thomas' latest soreness.

Anderson performed the original Lisfranc surgery on Thomas last summer. Thomas, who missed two weeks with a hamstring injury, now is sidelined because of soreness in his left foot -- the same one that needed surgery.

“We’re going through all the avenues to make sure he gets checked out the right way,” Redskins coach Jay Gruden said.

Thomas won’t play in Thursday’s preseason finale at Tampa Bay. He’s become a more important player with Brandon Meriweather suspended for the first two games. The Redskins likely would start Bacarri Rambo with Thomas out -- and might have done so anyway.

The Redskins also used corner E.J. Biggers at safety at times last season and could do so now in certain packages.

Thomas' injury also makes this week's cuts interesting. If he won't be ready for the opener, the Redskins might have to keep an extra safety for a couple weeks. They will have a roster exemption for Meriweather. But it could mean one of the young safeties, Trenton Robinson and Akeem Davis, makes the roster.