The Cleveland Browns cannot afford to trade Joe Thomas
The Cleveland Browns would be making a mistake by trading Joe Thomas during the 2016 NFL Draft.
The Cleveland Browns are a team desperate to turn things around. Teams in desperate situations make moves that otherwise would not be made.
The Browns hold the No. 8 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft, but more moves are likely to be made. These moves will involve swapping draft picks, but players often find ways into draft day trades as well.
Joe Thomas is a player who teams will be asking about when the Browns start making calls about trading up in the draft.
A scenario could present itself where the Browns want to trade up to select a player who is thought to be someone who could be a star for the franchise, and a potential trade partner wants more that just draft picks.
This is where Paul DePodesta and the “Moneyball” approach comes into play.
Thomas is a 31-year old left tackle on a team that has only had one winning season since he was drafted. 31 is old for an NFL player, especially one who is getting beat up on every play by opposing defenders.
He is also owed nearly $10 in each of the next three seasons. That is the part that makes a trade involving Thomas likely.
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The front office will recognize Thomas as an all-time franchise great, but someone who may not be a crucial aspect to a rebuild. Trading him for more picks would fit in with the strategy in place, while clearing up cap space to build a younger team.
This does fit into the logic being used for the rebuild, but that does not make it the right move. In fact, trading Thomas would be a terrible move for the Browns.
Joe Thomas is not only one of the best players to wear a Cleveland Browns jersey, but he is also one of the best at his position in the history of the NFL. Trading this talent, who still has three years left on his contract, would do more to hurt the team than it would do to help.
The team would be hurt in two ways. The first way would involve players actually getting hurt, specifically Robert Griffin III or Josh McCown. Thomas is irreplaceable, at least right now, at the left tackle position for the Browns. With an already flimsy offensive line, trading Thomas would give whoever lines up at quarterback an extreme lack of protection in the pocket.
His absence would also leave the team with a lack of leadership. McCown and Thomas serve as the two veterans on offense, but Thomas is someone who is expected to be on the field each and every down. If Griffin starts, that leaves McCown as someone who can mentor a young quarterback, but he would not have much influence during the actual games.
Next: Browns open to trading down from No. 8
Leadership if often sacrificed in terms of building a younger core, where leaders can be born, but this team is in need of someone to serve as the veteran in charge. Joe Thomas is that person, and he must be on the field for the Browns in 2016.