Monday, Aug. 10, 2014 PM – There was a collective gasp Monday morning when Browns left tackle Joe Thomas went down during practice with a scream, and then there was a collective sigh of relief a little later when preliminary examinations indicated the knee injury does not appear to be serious. Sports talk shows in the region have fun from time to time asking callers to name the Browns’ Most Valuable Player. Come on, is there any real question about who that is?. It’s Thomas, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of his eight seasons in the NFL, all with the Browns. Left tackle is a skill position since he draws the defense’s right end or right outside linebacker, which is where teams put their best pass rushers. That makes the job that Thomas has done all that much more impressive. So, too, does the fact that Thomas is an ironman of epic proportions, having never missed a snap, let alone a game, in his career. With that kind of resume, then, he’s already a shoo-in for induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, becoming the franchise’s 17th member. It’s a good bet that Thomas will not play against the Washington Redskins on Thursday night at FirstEnergy Stadium. Why should he? It’s just the preseason opener and the starters will play only a series or two or three. The Browns don’t need him that night. They need him once the regular season begins. They have to make sure he’s healthy then, not now. But the injury to Thomas is interesting in that it provided a window into the future for the Browns, who will someday have to worry about replacing him, something they’ve not had to concern themselves with since they took him at No. 3 overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. Left tackle is a legendary position for the Browns. In their first 38 seasons, they had only three men play the spot in Hall of Famer Lou Groza, followed by a pair of Cleveland Browns Legends in Dick Schafrath, who should be in the Hall of Fame, and Doug Dieken. Thomas may end up being better than any of them before he’s through. And, with more good luck like he had Monday in not ripping his knee apart, only tweaking it, Thomas won’t be through for quite a while yet. That’s tremendous news for the Browns who are going to need Thomas to get themselves back on track.