Ohio natives: Brian Hartline decision soon, Ted Ginn visits, and Trent Cole to be released
March 4, 2015Video: LeBron James’ pre-game handshakes with his teammates
March 4, 2015Part of the reason that the signing of Josh McCown was such big news in Cleveland is because it meant the end of Brian Hoyer. As a player, there’s nothing worth talking about with Brian. Even as I’ve supported him as a player, I only did so while acknowledging that in a given year, he could be, at best, a mediocre quarterback. For other fans it went deeper because Brian Hoyer was a local boy. During the Indianapolis game I heard one fan in the stadium chide another for being so disrespectful of Hoyer, who both admitted was playing a horrible game. In the end, the NFL doesn’t have time for feel-good stories or storybook endings. Brian Hoyer’s situation is just a minor case. Starting next season, the Browns are staring down a major one with Joe Thomas, due to the structure of his deal.
But before we get to Thomas, let’s talk about the Pittsburgh Steelers.
I recently read in the Pittsburgh media that the Steelers are hoping that Troy Polamalu retires before the upcoming season. The reason is that the Steelers are hoping that one of their most iconic and popular players helps save them from having to make a business decision and cut him because of his contract. The wild-haired safety is due to hit the cap for $8.25 million in 2015 and $8 million in 2016, so the Steelers could save about $3.5 million on the cap now that his highlights and productivity are starting to dwindle.
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Imagine Joe Thomas finishing his career in a Panthers or Cardinals uniform. Does that make your brain hurt a little bit?
The Browns won’t be immune either. Joe Thomas has put together an amazing career in a Cleveland Browns uniform and he’s still thought to be one of the best linemen in the NFL, but it only takes one down year for that tide to change. Thomas signed a giant extension with the team that keeps him on the books until the end of the 2018 season, but let me tell you something ugly about that extension: Starting in 2016, Joe Thomas’ deal is basically a year-to-year proposition with the Browns able to save about $10 million in cap space should they find occasion to cut him loose. It was designed that way because it’s after Thomas’ 30th birthday and the team wanted to make sure it had an out available.2 Imagine Joe Thomas finishing his career in a Panthers or Cardinals uniform or something like that. Does that make your brain hurt a little bit?
There’s no conclusion here. There’s no problem to fix. It’s as old as old can be, since Joe Montana played for the Chiefs. It’s just to point it out and recognize it yet again, a day after All-Pro running back LeSean McCoy was traded for a young linebacker — Kiko Alonso — on a rookie deal that costs 10 times less than what the 26-year-old superstar runner counts against the cap. And it’s a league where what might otherwise considered to be a lopsided trade has proponents on both sides justifying both the Bills and Eagles’ maneuver as “good.”
I just find it interesting that the country’s most popular sport is so devoid of sentimentality for the individuals that give us the greatest amount of joy watching it. It can be difficult at times, but we see fans in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis with Manning, and so many other examples find a way to not only deal with it, but show up time and again, over and over. It’s notable and a total contrast to some of the other sports. We’ve all just come to expect it as part of the NFL.
43 Comments
Joe Thomas has been about the only good thing on the Browns since their return. I’d hate to see him unceremoniously dumped.
I would hate to see it as well, but, in the NFL, you have to pay for what they are expected to do. If you pay for what they have done, then you get yourself in trouble.
Thankfully, at this point, we seem at least a couple years off from worrying about it too much but Craig brings up an extremely valid point as it can shift at any time.
very true. thankfully, OLinemen seem to be able to play at a pretty good level for quite a long time.
Counterpoint: Joe Thomas is sacred.
This has nothing to do with the story but I want to say thanks to everyone for keeping the comment section classy. I stumbled upon Cleveland.com’s Facebook page and good grief do those people need a hug. Even sadder, the paper itself had a column about comment sections. Perhaps they should look at WFNY.
Football is the last of the team sports and no one individual is bigger than the organization. The NBA has opted for a narrative of superstar versus superstar with the teams as sublines in the header and it seems to be working for them. MLB is shifting to that with headlines of Kluber vs Verlander, not even bothering with the teams at times.
Interesting! And interesting to think about how my reactions to this sort of thing have changed over the decades. It just doesn’t seem that long ago that players (in every sport) couldn’t support their families without off-season jobs. Don Fleming, Browns safety, was electrocuted, working as an electrician in the off season. But with many professional athletes, even those who don’t become icons, they’re set financially once they hang ’em up. Also interesting, to think about these remarkable athletes and whether they can see the end coming — and depart gracefully. Or like so many, just can’t detect the signs of their decline. There may never be written as good a book on this as Roger Kahn’s The Boys of Summer (1972). So many of those Brooklyn Dodger greats lost an imperceptible edge and could never understand why they had been put out to pasture…..Hey, and isn’t that a nice compliment from JM85? I happen to agree.
I have not had a place to drop this so I will put it here.
I was thinking about franchising a player and how there is a possibility that it negatively affects a player. What if, when a team franchises a player, they have a fully guaranteed player option for the following year at the updated franchise player number. Would this affect the franchising of players, or does it not really matter. In my mind, at least the guy would have 2 years of max contract $$ if they franchised him. Thoughts?
LeCharles Bentley 🙁
shut.your.mouth.
most player’s hate to be franchized, so that could help a little
Not that I overly care about a player ONLY making 12M or so. Just something I was thinking about.
you still need to respect what they’ve done, otherwise they’ll just holdout.
Joesus!
Agreed. A million times agreed.
Counterpoint: Perhaps they shouldn’t. In fact, let’s treat this like the movie “The Island.” No one tell them where this little sanctuary is. Surely they will ruin it.
I find it interesting that players initially loved the idea of the franchise tag.
Sounds like a plan.
Joe Thomas is either the most overrated player in recent Browns history or left tackle is the most overrated position in recent history. Here is a guy who, despite many saying he’s destined for the hall of fame, hasn’t made an ounce of impact on the fortunes of the team. Never took the team on his back and willed them to victory. Never enabled a quarterback to have a great year. Never opened up so many holes for a running back that he hit elite status. Put the sentimentality aside for a minute and ask yourself, do you really think that coaches when game planning for the Browns are sitting there saying, “Man, how are we going to deal with Joe Thomas?” He seems like a good guy, but he is a completely inconsequential player.
The name of pro sports is pretty simple “produce or get dumped” What you did 3 years ago has no weight in assessing talent today. Bottom line players have shown NO LOYALTY to either teams or fans why should Pro Team management? Its all about where you can get the biggest bang for your buck or the guarantee Super Bowl – nothing more!!!!!!!
Yea but the Browns O-line is simply pathetic, ho do you assess a single player when the entire O-Line was a dismal failure the entire season?
Or one of the best in the NFL. Backup center was an obvious concern though.
I think most coaches need to plan there but LT is more like WR where they can only effect a small part of the game
Hardly one of the best and actually was ranked in the bottom half of the NFL once again this year
one of the best is the “with Mack” statement.
we struggled mightily at center after Mack got hurt. JoeT and Bitonio were pro-bowlers. JoeT an all-pro. Greco was decent and Schwartz was above average.
Yeah, Seymour and McDonald were a dumpster fire at center, but, other than that, we were pretty dang good. there are few OL in the NFL that aren’t desperate to replace one or more spots.
hi TERRY … what ???? you have 2 pro-bowlers on the line in thomas & mack … and a future perennial pro-bowler in bitonio. the browns O-line was ranked #6 overall last year … “pathetic” ?
… ranked #6.
hi MG … some games schwartz was definitely overmatched . RT needs to be upgraded & i still think michael bowie ends-up starting at RT. and what’s not to like about greco … he played in toledo … go rockets !!
hi SIR PUMP … thomas is not spectacular , but he is solid & steady. game after game he handles the other team’s best pass rusher without any help from a TE or RB. he is undoubtedly the hardest working guy on this squad.
it is the QB’s , RB’s & WR’s that get all the attention / glory … most fans don’t even notice the block that springs the RB for a TD run … or the pick-up of a blitzer , so the QB had time to throw that TD pass.
but you do notice the lineman when they are flagged for holding or a false start … you bring up a valid point , but don’t question yourself … thomas has been a pro-bowler every single season of his career for a reason … we need more joe thomases.
I’d like to see a poll of QBs asking them, if they could have any LT in the game protecting their blind sides, who would they choose. Might have to exclude their own LT to avoid political bias.
Schwartz definitely has his weak spots. Just noting that we’re not desperate there though we could use an upgrade (and hopefully Bowie’s shoulder is recovered)
Tigersbrowns2 – OK not sure where you got the ranking of #6 for the Browns offensive line? What I did find were the following stats: Browns offense ranked: 20, AVG YD rushing 3.6, Rank passing: 22, Also as a note opponents had 30 sacks on QB and 65 hits on QB. Not sure how anyone can equate those stats with a #6 ranked offensive line? Our QB spent most of his time fleeing for his life and our running game averaged less than 80 yards per game.
hi TERRY … i referenced “pro football focus” offensive line rankings for 2014 … you can google it. they were #6 overall – pass blocking #2 – run blocking #7 – penalties #16.
offensive line rankings are not solely based on what the offense is ranked overall in YARDS or total offense.
the browns were ranked #13 overall on sacks allowed … i could not find a stat on “fleeing for your life” … LOL.
and the browns were in the top 6 in rushing offense last year until mack went down . there are 3 pro-bowlers on that line … i don’t understand how anyone can say we have a bad offensive line. RT mitchell schwartz was overmatched at times last year & when nick mcdonald was at C it all went downhill.
Thanks for the site info I will check it out. Ok I am jaded – the Browns off-season can best be described as disappointing so far with little expectation that anything much improves with the DRAFT based upon Browns lack of success in that arena. Ok my assessment of the offensive line is based upon success on the field – bottom line they started the season 6 – 3 and finished 1 – 6. The 1 – 6 skid was not all the defense fault. Selection to the Pro Bowl has lost its luster – its become a popularity contest not an assessment of best at a position – unfortunately or we would not be voting folks in and it would simply be a matter of best stats and nothing more.
i agree that the being named to the pro-bowl has lost a little luster , but being named 1st team ALL-PRO has not … this was the 5th year that thomas was named all-pro.
also, a rookie OL having a good enough year to be recognized as all-AFC is incredible. it usually takes OL years to build up name recognition especially when coming from a non-power college conference
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2015/01/cleveland_browns_joe_thomas_an.html
Teams that can move on from contracts and replace with almost equal value for cheaper are the ones in the playoffs. Even though some players might still be producing and have a sentimental value from a fan standpoint, another team might be able to afford them over your team. You have to move on from as a fan in hopes that the team will get better. It’s a two way street. Players chase the big money, don’t feel bad when your not playing for it anymore and get cut. Everyone knows about the salary cap by now.
Excellent observation – loyalty rarely occurs anymore at the professional level in any sport.
True but the NFL is a results based organization – The only stat that has any value at the end of the season is won / lost record. Individual achievement results in higher compensation but as the Browns have proven does not translate to wins on the field. Over the last 5 years you referenced for Pro Bowl selection the Browns record was 25 / 53. That we had 3 Pro Bowlers means we had 19 that weren’t
a bad team can have a good unit. to say they are all bad is not a fair statement.
It may not appear to be fair but it is an accurate statement – It’s a team sport not a unit sport. You can have the greatest defense or offense in the world on paper and it means absolutely nothing if you can not translate those paper results in to wins on the filed. It’s the Pro’s – no one goes to watch a unit play – they go to watch their team play and to win. There are no prizes for second place in the NFL.
It is folly to mark all failures on a team that lost. Sorry, I do not and will not agree here.
Just because your team lost, does not make you a bad player.
We are not in disagreement on that point – I disagree with how we assess whether a player is the best there is at a position. If it was based upon pure stats and not a popularity contest I would concur but its not as a consequence when you make statements that you have 3 Pro Bowlers on the offensive line of a team that was miserable at both the run and the past then you need to question based upon what???