Cleveland Browns: 3 trade targets on Dallas Cowboys amid firesale
By Cory Kinnan
3. LB Joe Thomas
The Browns desperately need a linebacker as second-year players Sione Takitaki and Mack Wilson have been subpar, free-agent addition B.J. Goodson has not been good by any metric, and rookie Jacob Phillips cannot get back to full health. At this point in the season, and by a wide margin, the best linebacker on the roster has been former Super Bowl MVP and veteran Malcolm Smith.
To both add depth and improve their current unit at the second level of their defense, the Browns could target one in Dallas. As Leighton Vander Esch is injury prone and Jaylon Smith is far to expensive, they may look to the next best option in Joe Thomas.
No, he is not a former first-rounder and future first-ballot Hall of Famer as the other Joe Thomas is, but he would be a big add for the Browns and for defensive coordinator Joe Woods. This is the last year of his deal, and considering the status of the Dallas defense, the Browns could get him for a future and conditional day-three pick as the trade deadline approaches.
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Is he a significant upgrade to the unit? No. However he is certainly an upgrade over the likes of Goodson, Takitaki, and Wilson at the second level of the Browns’ defense.