Joe Thomas on AP writer’s All-Decade team – Not your average Joe
If only the Browns, in desperate need of a solid left tackle, could find another one like Joe Thomas.
The future Pro Football Hall of Famer arrived 13 years ago as the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. The current Browns might use their first-round selection, at No. 10 overall, in this year’s draft, to find their guy, but we’ll just have to wait to see.
If they do, though, don’t hold your breath waiting for that young man to be anything close to Thomas. The Browns may well get a great player – certainly, this is not to accuse the current group of Vice President of Football Administration and General Manager Andrew Berry and head coach Kevin Stefanski of being incapable of doing so – but he’s not going to be Joe. He just isn’t. There are overwhelming odds against it.
I say all this – again – in lieu of the fact that Thomas was the hands-down choice at as the No. 1 tackle by Barry Wilner on the veteran Associated Press pro football writer’s NFL All-Decade team for the 2010-19 span.
Here’s what Wilner wrote about his choice: “No problem at all here: Joe Thomas, who soon will be in the Hall of Fame, would make any All-Decade compilation. Trent Williams, Andrew Whitworth and Tyron Smith are the other selections.”
Yes, that’s the Trent Williams who may come to Cleveland via a trade with the Washington Redskins.
Yes, again, for all the dumb things the Browns have done in the draft during this hideous and shameful expansion era, they – in the person of then GM Phil Savage — hit the nail on the head – and then some – with the pick of Thomas. There has been no in-between with the expansion Browns when it comes to their drafts in that it’s either a Hall of Famer (one time) or a Hall of Shamer (nearly every other occasion).
In addition, a couple other former Browns made Wilner’s All-Decade team in Alex Mack, who was a second-team center, and Andy Lee, one of two punters he named.
The Hall of Fame and the NFL will announce the official All-Decade team next Monday. You can bet that Joe Thomas will be the top tackle then, too.
Joe Thomas All-Decade by Steve King
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