Browns Ironman to Miss Rest of Season
Joe Thomas has been perhaps the one bright spot on a very bad Browns team for his entire 11 year career. This season he set the record for most snaps played consecutively. He epitomizes what an offensive tackle is supposed to be as he has turned in down after down, game after game, season after season of top tier play.
Thomas was one of only a few picks that has worked out for the Browns in the past decade and a half. He has been a Pro Bowler 10 times out of his 11 years as he has refused to be the one to let his quarterback get hit. He is definitely a future Hall of Famer and will go down as one of the best players in Browns history.
Unfortunately, now the Browns must figure out a way to get their first win this season without their best player. The Browns have announced that Thomas is going to miss the rest of the season as he recovers from a torn triceps that he suffered on Sunday. This is a huge hit for both the Browns and Thomas.
Thomas is a leader that took pride in his streak of consecutive plays and will hate to have to be away from the team as he recovers. However, it may be good for his body after the consistent beating his body has taken in the physical AFC North. He will have the ability to get some good rest for the rest of his body and be able to come back next year even stronger.
The Browns are in even deeper waters as they have to find a tackle that can keep whoever starts at quarterback from getting obliterated on the blindside. They have rookies Rod Johnson and Sam Banner to battle, but may want to turn to a free agent with more experience. They could make a run at Brandon Albert who was released before the season by the Jaguars after he tried to retire in an attempt to get more money. Most likely they will turn to one of the rookies and hope that their quarterback survives. Hugh Jackson will have to work some real magic to get his second win as a head coach without his star tackle.
