The Denver Broncos and the Cleveland Browns engaged in trade talks near the NFL trade deadline for Pro Bowl left tackle, Joe Thomas. The trade was nearly completed before it fell through and both sides stepped away from the trade talks.
Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway deemed the asking price for Thomas to be too high at the time.
In the end, the deal fizzled over the amount of compensation Cleveland wanted, not because of the 2 p.m. deadline or money. The Broncos were poised to restructure contracts, meaning the salary cap would not have been an issue in taking on Thomas' remaining $4.15 million this season, according to an NFL source. The Browns' asking price was deemed too high. While there were different mutations, Cleveland sought Denver's first and second-round picks in the 2016 draft at different points in the discussions.
This was back in early November, and two months later a lot has changed for the Broncos and the Cleveland Browns.
The Broncos are the number one seed in the AFC playoffs, and one has to wonder how much better off they would be with Joe Thomas protecting Peyton Manning's/Brock Osweiler's blindside during this playoff run.
For Cleveland, they did their annual Head Coach/General Manager firing routine, and the future of Joe Thomas as been questioned by the media and even Thomas himself.
Joe Thomas will keep making Pro Bowls, but the Browns seem to have finally broken his spirit: https://t.co/1Ow1lfABxs
— SB Nation (@SBNation) January 5, 2016
Thomas has always said he wants to be apart of Cleveland's turnaround, but he's beginning to question if he even wants to be a Cleveland Brown next season.
"I was always wanting to be here and be part of the turnaround, but when there's changes in the front office, changes in the coaching staff, they may not want me," he said. "They may want to go younger. It may be a situation where I don't want to be here. I don't know. There's too many unknowns to really say one way or the other."
Joe Thomas deserves better. He played in every game in his career and Thomas has been named a first-team All-Pro five times, a second-team All-Pro twice and has made it to nine Pro Bowls, every year of his career.
He deserves to be on a contending team.
I think Denver Broncos General Manager John Elway should and will revisit trade talks for Joe Thomas this offseason. The Broncos have Ryan Clady(currently on the IR) at left tackle, but more than likely he's taking a big pay cut or being cut this offseason. Rookie Ty Sambrailo played some left tackle before getting injured, but he's best suited for right tackle or even guard.
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That leaves a big hole and a very important position for the Broncos.
In John Elway's introductory press conference as General Manager for the Denver Broncos, he listed four positions of importance on the team. Those four positions being a quarterback, an edge rusher, a shutdown corner and a left tackle.
Elway signed Peyton Manning and spent a second-round pick on Brock Osweiler. He has also spent two first-round picks on edge rushers(Von Miller and Shane Ray), a first-round pick on a cornerback(Bradley Roby), and a second round pick on tackle Ty Sambrailo. Elway has also focused on these positions in free agency. Signing cornerback Aqib Talib and DeMarcus Ware to contracts.
My point is, Elway has shown to have a big move or two up his sleeve at these positions and left tackle is currently and will be a big need for the Broncos. The price was too high earlier this season, but it's possible a new regime might lower the price and do a "fire sale" of sorts.
To me, it makes too much sense for it not to happen. My money is on Joe Thomas being a Denver Bronco in 2016.