Cleveland Browns: 3 takeaways on offense from the Week 7 loss

Joe Thomas out for the season

This one hurts. Joe Thomas epitomizes the term  “Iron Man,” especially by NFL standards. The veteran hadn’t missed a snap since he was selected by the Browns in 2007, until this game.

The mere image of seeing Thomas injured was something we have truly never seen until now.

Thomas tore his triceps and will require season-ending surgery, leaving an irreplaceable hole at left tackle that hits harder than just on the depth chart. The Browns have so few veterans on this roster that seeing the unquestioned leader of this locker room go down with an injury immediately took the wind out of the Browns’ sails.

Now they’ll be without veteran leaders from last year such as Demario Davis, Terrelle Pryor, Joe Haden, Gary Barnidge and now Thomas.

It’s beating a dead horse at this point, but now having to be without Thomas will drive home the point that most of us have so painfully realized the last two seasons. You can’t throw the youngest team in the NFL on the field and expect them to know what it takes to win in the NFL.

I expect Spencer Drango to fill in for Thomas at left tackle until the bye week. Once we get to the bye, Hue Jackson and his offensive staff will have to figure out a way to bolster the pass protection.

Randall Telfer should see some extended playing time being glued to the hip of Spencer Drango to help out with the pass rush until after the Browns get home from London.