Detroit Lions Should Call Cleveland Browns About Joe Thomas

Bob Quinn promised to use all avenues to improve the Detroit Lions roster and pursuing a trade for Cleveland Browns tackle Joe Thomas would be wise.

The Detroit Lions indicated that improving their offensive line would be a priority this offseason. Outside of some reported interest in guard J.R. Sweezy, who has since agreed to a deal with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lions offensive line news in free agency has been scarce.

Free agency is just one of many ways to improve a roster and Bob Quinn promised to use all avenues to do so. That includes making trades and with Cleveland Browns closer to the beginning of another rebuild than the end, making a call about Joe Thomas makes a lot of sense.

The Browns have already showed a willingness to trade Thomas as they were in negotiations with the Denver Broncos as the trade deadline approached last season. The price at the time, as MLive’s Justin Rogers notes, was the Broncos first and second round picks. Perhaps the Lions’ first round pick would be enough to seal the deal this offseason.

That’s a high price to pay but the Lions could do a lot worse with their first round pick. They certainly won’t be able to draft an immediately elite left tackle.

With salaries skyrocketing across the NFL, Joe Thomas is under contract for three more seasons at a very reasonable price.

That’s a bargain for a veteran left tackle who remains among the game’s elite. It also leaves room for there to still be value in the last year of his contract if his play does start to diminish.

There is no debate that Thomas would be a huge upgrade over Riley Reiff and adding him means Reiff can move to right tackle where he would be a big upgrade over what the Lions have trotted out there over the last few years.

Next: Detroit Lions Seven-Round Mock Draft 2.0

Who knows if it will actually happen but it is a phone call I would at least make. Hopefully Bob Quinn at least makes the phone call too.