The Cleveland Browns finished last season with the NFL’s lowest scoring output at just 258 points.
Despite that historic struggle, the front office chose not to make significant personnel changes this offseason.
The decision left many questioning the team’s offensive strategy and their approach to building through the draft.
Browns legend Joe Thomas recently appeared on 92.3 The Fan and offered pointed criticism about how Cleveland has constructed its offensive line.
Thomas emphasized that building a strong unit requires volume and patience, something he believes the organization has lacked in recent years.
“If you want to be able to build a strong, dominant offensive line, you just gotta take a lot of shots (in the draft)…that’s something the Browns haven’t really done a whole lot of,” Thomas said.
"If you want to be able to build a strong, dominant offensive line, you just gotta take a lot of shots (in the draft)…that's something the Browns haven't really done a whole lot of."
🚨 @joethomas73 w/ @NickWilsonSays and @JPeterlin on priority that #Browns should place on OL pic.twitter.com/UJBfHnGgIM
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) October 17, 2025
The former Browns offensive tackle explained that evaluating college linemen remains difficult because many programs now run spread offenses.
The transition to the NFL presents a steep learning curve for these players.
He noted that offensive line techniques are fundamentally unnatural, requiring linemen to move backward while pushing and lifting with proper hip mechanics.
Unlike other positions learned from childhood, line play demands years of repetition to master.
The Browns have relied heavily on veteran linemen in recent years, but that approach has created long-term problems.
Thomas pointed to the Deshaun Watson era as a turning point, where significant cap space went to one player while other positions suffered.
That strategy ultimately failed, and now Cleveland faces a roster filled with aging veterans and limited draft capital.
The combination of fading talent and fewer developmental options has left the Browns in a difficult rebuilding phase.
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