Cleveland Browns: Joe Thomas not happy with NFL Combine policy

Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas shared his take on the recent news that several draft prospects have failed drug tests due to diluted samples.

Today the NFL notified teams that Jabrill Peppers from the University of Michigan had a diluted sample on his combine drug test. This comes on the heels of reports that Reuben Foster of Alabama was guilty of the same infraction.

Now although treated the same, a diluted sample is not the same as a failed test. Diluted can translate to something as simple as the player being too hydrated for the sample to be tested. With players trying to perform to their utmost abilities at the combine, it would make sense for them to want to stay hydrated. Both players echoed this sentiment in their defense.

Foster chalked it up to his trying to recover from a battle with food poisoning, saying:

"I couldn’t eat much, but I had to drink water and Gatorade, Then a few coaches said something about me being too light. And I’m a coach-pleaser. I don’t care what everybody thinks, but I care what coaches think. So I drank and ate as much as I could without throwing up. Then I went in there, drinking and drinking water, trying to flush out my system from whatever was making me sick and trying to keep my weight up and took the test.I couldn’t eat much, but I had to drink water and Gatorade, Then a few coaches said something about me being too light. And I’m a coach-pleaser. I don’t care what everybody thinks, but I care what coaches think. So I drank and ate as much as I could without throwing up. Then I went in there, drinking and drinking water, trying to flush out my system from whatever was making me sick and trying to keep my weight up and took the test."

Representatives for Peppers blamed illness as well, adding that a history of cramping was concern. In a Facebook post written by Adam Schefter, Peppers’ representation had this to say:

"Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping. Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance.Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping. Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance."

For these reasons, the NFL’s policy on this could be viewed as a controversial one. One current player had a particularly strong reaction to this news.

Coming emphatically to the players’ defense was Cleveland Browns star tackle Joe Thomas. Active on social media, Thomas often is outspoken on issues in the news. However, it is unusual for him to directly speak out on a league policy.

The following is from the Twitter account of Joe Thomas.

Later on Thomas continued…

It will be interesting to see moving forward if the NFL considers changing the way they administer their combine drug tests. Joe Thomas is one of the most well-respected faces of the league. When a player with as much clout as him has that strong of a reaction, one would imagine that the league would take notice.

Next: Budda Baker draft profile

One thing is for sure though, with only three days until the draft there could be a lot more stories like this on the horizon.