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FWIW CBD reported that JT has been in the building every day the past three weeks working out, putting on weight and getting bigger.

Joe Thomas expected to decide 'fairly soon' on future

By Marc Sessler

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Browns house burning question marks at quarterback, safety, wide receiver, running back and a flock of other positions.

Will Cleveland be forced to add left tackle to the list?

With All-Pro bookend Joe Thomas still pondering his future on the field, Browns coach Hue Jackson says the team will be ready for anything.

"I've talked to Joe Thomas several times and I think Joe is going to make a decision, hopefully, fairly soon here. But, again, it's on his time," Jackson said Wednesday at the NFL Scouting Combine. "Joe has been a tremendous Cleveland Brown and has done anything and everything we've asked of him. So, I think it's only right that we give him the opportunity to work through this and make the best decision for him."

Although Thomas hasn't made a decision, a source informed of the situation told NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport that Thomas is preparing to play, and those who know him well believe he'll be back for 2018.

A bona fide iron man, Thomas saw his streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps broken in October when he suffered a season-ending triceps injury. In the months since, the 2007 first-round pick has actively pursued a career in the media -- and lost weight in the process.

"Am I alarmed by it? No, I've seen him putting it back on out here recently," Jackson said. "He's Joe. He knows how to get himself ready to play if he decides to play. For us as an organization, we're going to do everything we can to be prepared whether he plays or he doesn't play. And I think that's what our responsibility is."

Said Jackson: "I think he understands that, too, because he wants the best for the organization as well. So, I think he'll come out and let us know here fairly soon about what he wants to do."

Thomas has been a loyal, positive force for the Browns through a thousand on-field losses and nearly as many failed quarterbacks. If he decides to walk away, the next stop -- Canton, Ohio -- won't be far behind.

Link

Back in the building lifting and getting bigger huh? I dig it. Having Joe commit would be huge for us, but I'd be hurt if we'd rewarded it with another joke season.

Signs are saying the best LT isn't done though.

Yeah, Segura and Wilhelm were saying signs look good. They feel he wants to be part of future success, that he wouldn't want to leave on such a low note, that he doesn't want to leave Hue hanging, and that it would be extremely hard to pass up the $$$$ he's going to make this year.

If he is back in the facility, hard to imagine he isn't at least better than 50/50.

Jackson might have given a clue as to the status of Joe Thomas

Fred Greetham


INDIANAPOLIS -- Hue Jackson said that Joe Thomas still hasn't made a decision as to whether he will return for the 2018 season--but he's not concerned.

Jackson also gave a clue as to what Thomas might be doing, when he was asked about the left tackle's off-season weight loss.

However, Jackson said the 11 year veteran has earned the right to decide his future on his own terms.

"I've talked with Joe Thomas several times," Jackson said at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. "I think Joe is going to make a decision, hopefully, fairly soon here. But again, it's on his time.

"Joe has been a tremendous Cleveland Brown and has done everything and anything we've asked of him, so I think it's only right that we give him the opportunity to continue to work through this and make the best decision for him."

Thomas had lost a good deal of weight during the off-season after the surgery on his triceps, but Jackson said he wasn't alarmed by the weight loss. Jackson also might have given an indication on whether Thomas will play in 2018 when he was asked about Thomas' weight.

"No, because I've seen him putting it back on here recently," Jackson said. "He's Joe. He knows how to get himself ready to play, if he decides to play. For us as an organization, we're going to do everything we can to be prepared whether he plays or he doesn't play and I think that's what our responsibility is."

Thomas made the Pro Bowl after his first ten NFL seasons, without ever missing an offensive snap (10,363) until last season when he tore the triceps in his arm against the Titans and missed the second half of the season.

Thomas's salary of $14.25 million counts against the cap after the team re-structured his deal.

With NFL free agency set to begin on March 14, the Browns need to make plans if Thomas doesn't return.

"I think (Thomas) understands that too, and he wants what's best for the organization and I think he'll come out and let us know fairly soon."

Link

JT is the singular lone bright spark in as far as I can remember. Whatever he decides I'm good with. One of *the* best to play at his position. I will be very sad when he hangs it up though, selfishly One more season, playoff surprise. Can we do it for Joe????

A comforting thought coming from a 1-31 coach.

Well thank goodness. We are going to need the draft pick we get for the total rebuild we have to do

I agree... joe deserves a playoff game....

Maybe with a trade? lol


Honestly, I'd love to make the playoffs though. Haven't seen that since the Holcomb vs Steelers debacle. I wouldn't count on it this year though. I think we'd have to win our division

EDIT: I will say though, we might really want to trade back into the first round if a potential LT is there. They don't come up in FA and are hard to find later in the draft. I really don't think Drango is the answer. So maybe this McGlinchey guy if he gets into the 20's?

yeah, looks like he'll be back. Is this the final year of his contract?

Yes, this is the final year of his contract.

add that fact to the fact the he got a raise .. he's back IMO

I really don't believe the money is the motivating factor here. Joe has made a ton of it and he isn't some lavish spender. He's also a pretty smart guy and I'd say he's managed his money well. I think it's all about his desire or lack there of and how his body has responded during the off season.

The fact he's working out at the facility and putting the weight back on are the most positive indicators to me.

Joe Thomas - T - Browns

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said on the Around the NFL podcast that he anticipates Browns LT Joe Thomas returning for 2018.

A 12th-year player, Thomas had never missed a game before tearing his triceps last Week 7. There have been rumors Thomas has begun dropping weight, but it's believed he does so in most offseasons. "I do believe he's coming back," said Rapoport. "I think the Browns think he's coming back as well. It sounds like he's gonna announce in some sort of social media way, probably pretty soon."

Source: Around the NFL on TwitterMar 1 - 11:28 AM

I love most of his social media takes. Hearing him say I'm coming back would make the berry all the more sweeter.

Hopefully he returns and we sign him to a nice 3 year extension. Maybe he doesn't play all 3 of those extra years, but maybe he plays another couple of years, and we reward him for his Hall of Fame play for the Browns.

j/c....

Hmmm.

Kyle Kelly
@KyleKellyCLE
#Browns LT Joe Thomas had an interview and audition with Fox Sports to be the color analyst for Thursday Night Football next season.

Tweet

From NY Post article (near bottom of article)...

In more Fox news, the network had current Browns lineman Joe Thomas and former Bears coach John Fox in for auditions, according to sources. Thomas was particularly impressive, according to one source. The two are being considered for a variety of roles on both Fox and Fox Sports 1. Thomas also went through the ESPN “Car Wash” this offseason, which often is used as a tryout of sorts, so don’t rule out Bristol. Thomas has not decided yet if he will play next season.

NY Post Article

I sure hope he decides one way or another by the weekend, with free agency set to fire up.

He said he would.

I think if Joe Thomas got the job, we would know already. In the end, it's obvious Thomas is going to go into the media after he is done playing. Getting reps during the off-season makes a ton of sense.

I am concerned. This is not Grossi.

One more, Joe!

Oh man, that would stink.

Can't say I'd blame him from walking away from losing all the time when he excels so much at media.

Yeah, this doesn't sound good .....

Browns' Joe Thomas tells WKYC 'the end is coming sooner than later'; has auditioned for Fox and ESPN | cleveland.com
http://www.cleveland.com/browns/index.ssf/2018/03/joe_thomas_tells_wkyc-tv_the_e.html#incart_2box

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Joe Thomas acknowledged at the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Banquet Tuesday night that he's been exploring his options in sports broadcasting and his retirement isn't far off.

Thomas told WKYC's Dave Chudowsky at the banquet that he hasn't been offered any broadcasting jobs yet, but that he's been "putting himself in front of the decision makers'' and said "the end is coming sooner than later.''

Thomas recently auditioned for a variety of roles at Fox and Fox Sports 1, a source confirmed, and he went through "the car wash" at ESPN when he was there in January to appear on several shows. The New York Post first reported the Fox audition, stating that "Thomas was particularly impressive, according to one source.''

Thomas also told ESPN Cleveland's Jason Gibbs Tuesday night that he's "not leaning one way or the other towards retirement'' and repeated what he's said several times since the end of the season: that he'll tell the Browns before the start of free agency so they can find his replacement if necessary.

Teams can begin negotiating with free agents on Monday and consummate deals on Wednesday. That means Thomas will likely make his announcement in the next few days.

Several sources close to the situation have told cleveland.com they're genuinely not sure what he'll decide. One said the longer it goes, the more it seems like he'll retire.

But Thomas told Chudowsky, "it's kind of like picking a college, one day you think it's this school, the next it's another."

If Thomas retires, the Browns will have to find his replacement in free agency or the draft. They don't currently have a player on the roster that can fill his enormous Hall of Fame shoes.

Thomas has been preparing for a post-football career in radio or television for the past couple of years. He's been doing The Joe Thomas Hour on clevelandbrowns.com, and started the popular ThomaHawk podcast this season with former Browns receiver Andrew Hawkins, produced by Uninterrupted.

Fox is looking for "Thursday Night Football'' talent now that it's reached a five-year deal with the NFL.

Thomas also told Gibbs that in regard to the Browns' plans with the No. 1 pick in the draft, "people I've talked to say the consensus is building a little bit that Darnold is sort of the No. 1 guy but no one can really put him in that slot until they see him actually throw because there is some concern about his delivery.''

He also told Gibbs that he believes Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron is still the target for a veteran quarterback.

"If I had to guess who's going to end up with the Browns I'd say AJ McCarron is probably the front runner,'' he said, but also mentioned Case Keenum, Sam Bradford or even trading for Nick Foles.

Will he be the one protecting their blindside?


Dave Chudowsky
✔
@DaveChudowsky
Joe Thomas told me he hasn't been offered any TV jobs yet but he's exploring options and putting himself in front of the decision makers, he said the end is coming sooner than later @wkyc @WKYCSports
7:09 PM - Mar 6, 2018


Jason Gibbs
@BGSUGibbs
#Browns LT Joe Thomas at The National Football Foundation Annual Awards Banquet: Not leaning one way or the other towards retirement. Trying to get something decided before free agency.
6:53 PM - Mar 6, 2018

J/C

I said it in the other thread but I'll say it again here so it doesn't detract from that threat.

I think Thomas is waiting to hear on if the Browns are going after Cousins. Thomas has been really vocal about Cousins, including trying to recruit him to Cleveland on social media. While there is undoubtedly some humour intended, I think there is also some real sincerity there.

Cousins is the only "win now" option that could convince Thomas to continue on, in my opinion. Everyone else, be it rookie or Kizer or one of the lesser FA quarterbacks, is more a down-the-line kind of situation.

It hasn't helped that Thomas has been so successful off the field. That might be the real death kiss. A lot of guys are reluctant to move on because football is all the know, but Thomas has seen that his life beyond football looks incredibly bright.

That won't influence the Browns decision to target Cousins, in my opinion. I think what it most highlights is Joe's undying love for his Cleveland Browns - He's ready to retire, but with even a small chance of success, he'd suit up.

Then again, I am just emotionally preparing for the worst.

I agree with this assessment. I would add that he has talked about brain injuries, and I would bet my last dollar Annie wants him to hang up the cleats for the sake of their future.

Guys I can say with my entire heart on display, if Joe Thomas quits I will have not even the slightest bit of ill will toward him. Not even a pinch.

I hold Joe so high because of not only the player he is, but the person he is. If having success and a healthy future to spend with his family means not playing on this junk team anymore, then I have the same high amounts of respect for you and it will never, ever go away (unless you become a criminal.)

I will say, JT did put the weight back on. He had an interview with a Jr on the browns website and you can see compared to a picture of him in a suite which you can tell he lost a ton of weight.

I thought he'd be back, but at this stage I don't know what really he is wanting after the "end sooner than later" comment. Seems more than anything now he doesn't wish to gut out another losing year. Who would? He's almost like, Kirk Cousins or nothing at this stage.

+100

I hate to see him go but all players retire or get cut. Life goes on.

$14M is hard to walk away from. I wonder what they pay a rookie broadcaster.

Browns' Joe Thomas says he'll decide whether to retire or return before start of free agency
10:40 PM ET

Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas said Tuesday night he is close to making a decision on his future.

Thomas, 33, has been debating whether to retire and go into television broadcasting or return for another season. He has auditioned for both ESPN and Fox as an NFL analyst.

Thomas, attending the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Banquet in Cleveland, told ESPN-Cleveland and WKYC he hasn't been offered any TV jobs yet but he's exploring options, and he said the end is coming sooner than later.

"It's kind of like picking a college," Thomas said. "One day you think it's this school, the next it's another."

Joe Thomas says he hasn't been offered any TV jobs yet, but he is exploring options.

Thomas said he will let the Browns know if he will play in 2017 or retire by the time free agency begins March 14.

The general thinking is that if Thomas returns, it would be for one season.

Thomas is entering the final year of a seven-year, $80.5 million contract and -- factoring in base salary and bonuses -- would take home $13.5 million in 2018.

In October, Thomas tore his left triceps during a game against the Tennessee Titans, ending a remarkable streak of 10,363 consecutive snaps. He had surgery on Oct. 24, ending his season.

Thomas had said in April that he was experiencing memory loss, but he could not say whether playing in the NFL had caused the problem.

"I definitely expect memory loss," Thomas said on "In Depth with Graham Bensinger." "I'm already seeing memory loss, and maybe that's just because of my old age or maybe it's football; it's hard to tell.

"I mean, there's no double-blind studies when it comes to people's life. It's just a part, I think, of sometimes getting older. And it's hard to tell it's because of football or because you're 32 and you're not 21 anymore and you have a lot of stuff going in your life."

Thomas, the No. 3 pick in the 2007 draft, has been named to the Pro Bowl 10 times.

Link

Thomas has said he will let the team know of his decision before free agency. He has also said he knows the Browns will not be going after Kirk Cousins.

Joe Thomas said end is coming 'sooner than later' for playing days

The Browns Pro Bowl left tackle is expected to make a decision on the 2018 season in the next few days.

Fred Greetham - 39 minutes ago 1

Whether Joe Thomas plays in 2018 or not, there's a very good chance that this will be his last season.

At the National Football Foundation Annual Awards Banquet Tuesday night, Thomas said "the end is coming sooner than later.''

@DaveChudowsky
Joe Thomas told me he hasn't been offered any TV jobs yet but he's exploring options and putting himself in front of the decision makers, he said the end is coming sooner than later @wkyc @WKYCSports

Thomas has one year remaining on his contract with a contract of $13.5 million.

After not missing a snap in his first ten seasons, Thomas tore a tendon in his arm and missed the final half of the 2017 season. He is expected to be recovered from the arm injury, but has been bothered by knee and back issues, which have limited his practice time during the season.

Thomas also said he has been exploring opportunities in the media and "putting himself in front of the decision makers."

Thomas has recently auditioned for a variety of roles at Fox and Fox Sports 1 and ESPN according to reports.

The Browns have to address the left tackle position whether Thomas retires now or after the season. However, if he chooses to retire now, the Browns need to make left tackle a high priority in free agency or the draft, as there is not a player on the current roster viewed as ready to step in.

Thomas said he will inform the Browns of his decision before free agency, which begins early next week, officially on Wednesday March 14. Teams are able to begin negotiating with agents on Monday March 12.

Link

Joe Thomas:

Hope he stays, but I completely understand if he doesn't.
If he retires, we'll see him in Canton.

Not nearly as much, but then again....you don't have to deal w/guys like this in a broadcast booth.

He’ll be here next year .. i’m fairly certain of that ... after that ... like he said .. the end is near ..

As a Browns fan I'd love to see Joe stay but he has to do what's best for him. Whatever he chooses, I wish him the best.