The triumph of Thomas, the disappointment of the Browns

The triumph of Joe Thomas was how he persevered and excelled, and how he became one of the best offensive linemen of his era. The disappointment is that he never had enough quality around him for his exceptional play to make a difference. Thomas, a left tackle who played 10,363 consecutive snaps – all with the Cleveland Browns – was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Saturday in Canton. There was very little question about Thomas' candidacy. He was selected for the Hall in his first year of eligibility. In his 11 seasons, Thomas was selected for the Pro Bowl 10 times. The only reason he missed the Pro Bowl in 2017 – his last season – was because an injury caused him to miss the final nine games. Thomas was a rarity in Cleveland: A first-round draft pick that lived up to and exceeded expectations. In 2007, the Browns made Thomas the third overall selection. The '07 Draft was loaded with talent. In taking Thomas, Cleveland bypassed tailback Adrian Peterson (who went four picks later to the Vikings) and corner Darrelle Revis (selected by the Jets). The No. 2 overall pick was receiver Calvin Johnson, who was taken by Detroit. Revis and Johnson are also in the Hall of Fame; Peterson almost certainly will be. There were some who wondered if it was wise for the Browns to take an offensive lineman so high, but it looked like a stroke of genius in 2007. Blocking for tailback Jamal Lewis and quarterback Derek Anderson, Cleveland had its best season in more than a decade, going 10-6 and just missing the postseason. It looked like the beginning of a new, successful era for the Browns. But the 2007 Browns season was a mirage. Thomas was not. Over the next decade, the Browns were at best mediocre, and at worst, embarrassing. The teams that Thomas played on between 2008 and 2017 never won more than seven games in a season. Over the final three years of his career, Cleveland went 4-44. Through it all, Thomas continued to shine. It wasn't that the Browns front offices didn't try to make things better, it's just that they kept failing. Over Thomas' career, the teams selected three quarterbacks in the first round of the draft. But Brady Quinn, Brandon Weeden and Johnny Manziel all failed to make things better. The reality is that for most of Thomas' career, the Browns' other best players were a kicker (Phil Dawson) and a special teams ace (Joshua Cribbs). Which leads to a sad truth: If the best player is a left tackle, your team is probably in trouble. Over Thomas' career, Cleveland's record was a dismal 49-128. As great as he was, he wasn't able to be a major difference maker. But that's the Browns' fault, not his. He belongs in the Hall of Fame. He's also a rarity. So many great players are in the Hall of Fame – in part -- because of the teams they played on. Thomas is in Canton in spite of his team. That's the triumph of Joe Thomas. That's the disappointment of the Cleveland Browns. Zach Baker is the sports editor for The Courier and Review Times.