Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas is one of the best, young offensive lineman in the NFL today. Usually mild-mannered and hardly ever in the press, Thomas told 102.3 The Ticket in Denver he thinks the NFL's offseason programs can be too much to handle.
“You certainly don’t need as much as we had,” said Thomas on-air.
He went on to talk about how intense the preseason workouts were his rookie season under former Browns head coach Romeo Crennel, and wondered if the season would ever begin.
"I didn’t even feel like a rookie at the end of training camp because you go through six weeks of training camp, OTA’s, two minicamps, you’ve got preseason games, and the volume is incredible," said Thomas. "It’s something you’ve never seen before. Probably more practices than you had in your entire college career up to the first regular season game.”
Thomas took a moment to mention how some players, but not all, are a bit out of shape and need the conditioning offseason programs provide. While others are still in tip-top shape, and a less physical offseason might keep them "fresher" down the stretch of the season.
“The season is going to feel shorter and your body is going to be healthier at the end of the year and I think the mind will be a little fresher," continued Thomas. "You may see, at the beginning the football not being as good, but at the end I think you may see guys that are more fresh and more ready to go after it.”
