The Cleveland Browns haven’t won a game heading into Week 8. This has sparked some trade rumors that include All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas.
On Monday, speaking with media, Browns head coach Hue Jackson shot them down with a strong statement.
#Browns coach Hue Jackson is unequivocal today: “We are not going to trade Joe Thomas.” That does not leave any gray area.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 24, 2016
This isn’t the first time Thomas has been the subject of trade rumors, even during this calendar year. But he made it clear he did not want to leave Cleveland back in May.
It remains to be seen if he still has those same feelings now. Cleveland appears poised to legitimately challenge for the dubious mark of going winless in 2016.
The Browns would be smart to keep Thomas, especially as they’ll be in the position of drafting a quarterback at the top of the 2017 NFL Draft. The last thing any franchise wants to do is throw a rookie into the fire without first offering him some protection.
On the other hand, it would be easy to understand if Thomas did want to leave at this point.
The NFL trade deadline is November 1, at 4 p.m. ET. It will be fascinating to see if the Browns end up changing their mind if they receive a trade offer that is too tempting to resist.