Cause if your taking a RB #1 or #4 in the 1st round he has to be a 3 down back....is he gonna look good on the sidelines?
BEREA, Ohio -- Joe Thomas has made his decision. The future Hall of Fame left tackle announced he is retiring from the Browns at the age of 33 and the NFL in a release from the team. “This was an extremely difficult decision, but the right one for me and my family,” said Thomas. “Playing in the NFL has taken a toll on my body and I can no longer physically compete at the level I need to.” “From the moment I was drafted, the city embraced me in a way that I could never fully describe. I am proud to call Cleveland home. The loyalty and passion of Browns fans is unmatched and it was an honor to play in front of them from the past 11 years. I would like to thank all of the coaches, teammates, staff, fans and everyone who has shown me support throughout my career. Even though I will be hanging up my cleats, I will always be a Cleveland Brown.” “Joe has been a pillar of our organization and one of the greatest to put on a Cleveland Browns uniform,” said Dee and Jimmy Haslam. “We want to thank him for everything he has done for the Browns and the Northeast Ohio community. We should all strive for the standard Joe has set to always be available, put the team above yourself and always give maximum effort. One of the first ways we will acknowledge and honor his accomplishments is to enshrine the number 10,363 to recognize his consecutive snaps streak in the team’s Ring of Honor at a home game this season. It also won’t be long before he takes his rightful place down the road in Canton at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.” “Joe means so much to me both personally and professionally,” said Head Coach Hue Jackson. “Joe has been not just a tremendous Cleveland Brown, but one of the best to ever play in the National Football League. I appreciate everything he has done for this organization and not just on the field, his leadership and what he brought to the locker room, as a coach you couldn’t ask for a better captain than Joe Thomas. He earned the respect of teammates and peers around the league for the way he worked. To play 10,363 consecutive snaps, what a tremendous accomplishment. I don’t know if something like that will ever be matched again.” “I have watched Joe from afar throughout his career,” said General Manager John Dorsey. “I have nothing but respect for the way he has carried himself and the amazing things he has accomplished. He has played this game at an extremely high level. Joe is a heck of a football player and an even better man.” Thomas became the fifth player and the only lineman in NFL history to be selected to the Pro Bowl each of his first 10 seasons, joining Pro Football Hall of Famers Barry Sanders, Lawrence Taylor, Mel Renfro and Merlin Olsen. Thomas’ 10 Pro Bowls are a team record, surpassing Hall of Famers Jim Brown (nine) and Lou Groza (nine). Thomas was the longest tenured member of the Browns and was selected to the Associated Press All-Pro team eight times, including six first-team honors. The third overall pick in the 2007 draft, Thomas played every offensive snap for the Browns from his rookie season through Week 7 in 2017, when he sustained a torn triceps that ended his consecutive snaps streak at 10,363. His Iron Man stretch, which consisted of 167 consecutive games, is believed to be the longest consecutive snaps streak in NFL history. While his accomplishments on the football field are marked in NFL history, Thomas’ impactful contributions and commitment to the Cleveland community have been just as meaningful. He is the only player in team history to earn the Walter Payton Man of the Year distinction multiple times (2010, 2012 and 2016), and was selected as one of three finalists for the 2012 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award. He is also the only player in team history to be voted as the PFWA Dino Lucarelli Good Guy award winner multiple times (2010 and 2013), an award for cooperation with the media and community involvement. In addition, Thomas was named the Browns Player of the Year by the local PFWA in 2014 and 2016 and was a finalist for the 2017 NFL Art Rooney Sportsmanship Award. The Browns signed two offensive linemen in free agency in Chris Hubbard from the Steelers and Donald Stephenson from the Broncos. Hubbard will receive a five-year, $37.5 million contract and Stephenson a one-year deal worth $2.5 million. Thomas made the Pro Bowl in his first 10 NFL seasons, having never missed a snap, but missed it last season after injuring his arm and missing the final half of the season. For all of your Browns news from Berea follow @FredGreetham on Twitter
Beach...I'll keep it civil....for now If it does happen, I'll need to hire my own private bartender...
I would like to think that the Brown's front office hasn't really changed their draft plans now that Joe has officially announced his retirement. I would prefer to think that an offensive tackle has been in their plans all along as his retirement was inevitable at some point in the near future anyways.
Draft Brian O'Neill with #64 overall. LT: Brian O'Neill, Donald Stephenson LG: Joel Bitonio, Spencer Drango C: JC Tretter, Austin Reiter RG: Kevin Zeitler, Martin Marcus RT: Chris Hubbard, Shon Coleman
Lol, I feel like I'm talking to a wall with no one acknowledging my posts...I believe the plan was put in place when they drafted Shon Coleman in the 3rd round. Now, Dorsey may look at him and decide differently, but with Solder demanding such and exhorbetant amount of money if free agency, I would expect either Shon Coleman or Spencer Drango (who filled in for Joe during his injury last year) to be the starter in 2018. I also think they will try to identify if there is an upgrade in the draft. I personally don't see it. So, like everyone else in the league looking for a legitimate LT, we will do the best we can with what we have. AGAIN....Shon Coleman spent his entire amateur career at LT, it wasn't until he landed with the Browns BEHIND one of the best LTs to ever play the game, that he was put at RT. I believe they were getting him game reps, preparing him for this day...my only concern is that it wasn't him, but Drango that stepped in when Joe went down. It will be a revolving situation though until they find a legitimate player to fill that role..unfortunately, I don't think there is one available in free agency or the draft this year that is legitimate...so we will fill it as best we can, like most other teams do.
Do you really think O'Neill's tape shows a player that will be able to handle the speed of the NFL? I worry about that...
I'll freely admit that evaluating offensive linemen is my weakest area. What I'm drawn to with O'Neill is his level of athleticism and that he, in a lot of ways, reminds me of a young Joe Thomas. Obviously nowhere near as polished, but he uses that athleticism very well in pass pro. From an athletic profile, the two aren't all that dissimilar: So while you can't (and won't) replace a Joe Thomas, I'll settle for taking a guy physically similar to Joe and letting the offensive line coaches work on things like technique. I'm sure Joe will lend a hand whenever he can.
Wow you guys have graphics and stuff! I admit I did not read back through this thread. Just got back Glad to see the DPL still alive. I'll have a Great Lakes IPA, please
