Buckeyes’ season concludes with with 74-66 loss to Florida in NIT
March 21, 2016Does Joe Thomas deserve a trade? WFNY Podcast #472
March 21, 2016With the #FreeJoeThomas movement in full effect, the Cleveland Browns are stating that they will not be trading their perennial Pro Bowl left tackle. CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora penned a story that essentially called for the Browns to move Thomas to a contender, strike while the value iron is hot, and let the elite offensive lineman play for a title in another town. Just days later, the Browns, through Sashi Brown, stated that their plan is to have No. 73 starting during the team’s Week 1 game this fall.
#Browns Sashi Brown: "Our plan is not to trade Joe Thomas. He'll be our left tackle''
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) March 21, 2016
The premise of a Thomas trade is such: The Browns are going to be very bad for at least the next year, likely not entering contention until the end of Thomas’ career—if at all—so why not move him and get something for his still-remaining value? This is all well and good, of course, except for left tackles are rare and Thomas is still elite. And if the team plans on acquiring a quarterback—be it through draft, or free agency, or both—they will need to keep said quarterback upright. Losing two key members of the offensive line already, and the team has little left to cling to in the way of All Pro talent.
Joe Thomas, who said he was looking forward to being a part of the Browns’ future, could retire yesterday and have his next stop be in Canton, Ohio If the Browns get their way, however, Thomas will be spending a few more years in Cleveland before making the trek down I-77. Then again, the team’s plan earlier this offseason was to reinvest in their own players, and we all know how that went.
Mr Brown? Joe Thomas’ agent on Line 1…
30 Comments
trade Thomas to a contender, have him play 4-5 more years, then have all anyone wants to talk about when he is enshrined (etc.) be about those last years of his career.
no thanks. he is ours. we’ve been here longer, suffered more, he can manage too.
No plans to trade JT =/= We are not going to trade JT
Just sayin.
No to mention despite them letting Schwartz and Mack walk, the O-line is still important to the ability of any young quarterback to develop over the next couple of years. I think they believe they can get another center who will be of decent quality for a lot less money, and they had initially planned on keeping Schwartz, but ultimately decided he was getting paid like an elite player, which is isn’t. I expect them to sign a center and possibly draft a RT.
I read this as the Browns saying “we’re open to an offer we can’t refuse.”
Maybe we should start spreading rumors about Joe Thomas so that nobody else wants him?
I heard Joe Thomas doesn’t wash out the sink when he’s done shaving.
I also heard that following the loss to Baltimore, Joe Thomas punched an old lady in a wheelchair.
they want to keep thomas & the fact that they are even in discussions with RGIII & Kaepernick tells me they are still going to try to win games now.
it may not be saying much , and even with all the guys we lost , i will be the first to predict that we WILL EXCEED last year’s win total ! Hue & his coaches will find a way , even if it’s with a group of misfits.
mark it down !
we still have thomas , bitonio & greco to start with on the O-line … it could be worse. i’m wondering if they signed alvin bailey to be a starter , or if he is depth ? will they make a run at keeping pacszszzcstor ??
i don’t even want to bring up you know who’s name …
and possible RT michael bowie is still on the roster as well.
Toss this in the basket marked: Useless Answers to Bad Reporter Questions.
Sashi ain’t gonna say, “Yeah, he’s been on the left side of the list Paul and I created for about 2 months now, we’re just waiting for the league’s annual summer camp injuries.” They may not get the deal they want right away and don’t want him playing like he’s already gone because that would be the worst of all worlds, in trade negotiations, on the field and in the locker room.
Sashi seems to be an honest & forthright fellow … whatever he says must be true ! … *smile*
LMAO !!!
LT – j.thomas
LG – bitonio
C – greco
RG – bailey / pasztor
RT – bowie
there … all fixed. we may be good to go right now.
I agree. And it also signals to me that they’re getting a QB in the draft.
Bowie sort of proved his shoulder just isn’t healing right. I mean, we can hope and pray and all…
I know Erving looked bad, but you have to think he’s still in the plans right now at center. Get him stronger in the base and get those feet right. I don’t know, maybe having him learn all 5 positions was too much for a rookie? Yeah, probably.
Greco was bad during his time at center. He loses his punch when he has to snap the ball.
I hope Bailey is backup in thought.
So, right now…
LT Joe Thomas
LG Joel Bitonio
C Cam Erving
RG Greco / Pasztor
RT Big Empty Black Hole
good post MG … maybe they let schwartz go for a reason , maybe bowie finally is ready to go. i don’t know … i will investigate.
Or if Tunsil is there at 2. The kid from NC State looks a lot like a Hue Jackson developmental project.
Greco is doomed.
I hear we are drafting a kid to play RT though:
E. Horizon
He smells of elderberries.
I don’t see this as a option after losing 2 starters on the O-Line so far. Sanity would tell anyone that losing 3 starters from last year then throwing a rookie QB out there will be destroy any hope for first year growth. Besides we need to prove we can draft quality players before trading HOF players for picks.
what ?? …
mornin’ … what if Tunsil makes it to us ?? i’m sure they would only take him if their pick for QB can be had later in the draft.
so, spend the #2 overall pick on the draft instead of $$$ for Schwartz when we have tons of cap room? doesn’t seem prudent. if decision was to go cheap on RT because less important, then follow through.
it’s not that far-fetched … Tunsil is younger than Schwartz , may be better than Schwartz & will cost less than Schwartz in the immediate future.
i still think odds are we’re going QB at #2 overall , but the HBT may have a different plan … especially if they bring in RGIII.
and my position still is : whoever they take at #2 overall should contribute immediately. if they bring in RGIII , i don’t want us to take a QB at #2 … i’d rather see a starter who can contribute now.
Schwartz 2016 cap hit = $4.5mil
#2 overall pick 2016 cap hit = $4.5mil
We know Schwartz is pretty good, we think Tunsil might eventually be better.
It’s paying $$$ + a huge asset (#2 overall) for something you should have just paid $$$. Bad business if we do it.
hi MG … LMAO , you just had to go & do some research on me , didn’t you ? … i was actually thinking : “maybe i’m wrong” as i was posting it … but posted anyway.
okay , just be contrary , maybe they have really done their homework & have a good RT pegged for the 3rd round … and remember , all of the guys that walked had 1 good year. i was a proponent of schwartz staying … he could’ve signed the offer , but tested the market anyway.
for now , i am going to trust the HBT’s plan.
Hey, we all post what we think and the great thing about the WFNY community here is we’ll often have someone do the research and post the facts when we’re wrong. It was done with respect and just to point out the folly in that line.
We have no recourse but to trust the plan (well, we could yell about it constantly, but that does no good either). I understand the process, I just disagree with the Schwartz component of it as I truly think he should have been part of the rebuild. It’s in the past now though, we’ll move forward.
i know that … you don’t have to explain yourself.