BEREA: Analytics might tell the Browns to trade All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas at age 31, but head of football operations Sashi Brown spoke Thursday as if the new regime views the nine-time Pro Bowler as a cornerstone of the franchise.
“He is a guy that is going to be a big piece of what we do moving forward,” Brown said during his introductory news conference.
The Browns nearly traded Thomas to the Denver Broncos in October but didn’t pull the trigger.
Then after the Jan. 3 season finale, Thomas wouldn’t rule out requesting a trade depending on whom the Browns chose to replace fired coach Mike Pettine and fired General Manager Ray Farmer.