Had a potential Browns-Broncos trade not fallen through at the 11th hour early last November, perennial All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas would be celebrating his first Super Bowl victory.
After speaking with Sashi Brown, the Browns' new executive vice president of football operations, and head coach Hue Jackson recently, Thomas is confident, however, that he will remain in Cleveland.
"I don't think they thought about trading me last year until Denver called," Thomas added, via Mary Kay Cabot of The Plain Dealer.
Thomas echoed the analysis of Around The NFL's Conor Orr, who hailed the Browns' hiring of Jackson as a "huge coup."
"I'm super excited about Hue," Thomas added. "We're set for a nice run."
Thomas acknowledged that the Browns are likely to select a quarterback with the No. 2 pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.
The offensive line takes on even greater importance if Jackson is faced with the prospect of developing a young quarterback. Thomas is the keystone up front, with a pair of question marks in Mitchell Schwartz and Alex Mack.
Although Thomas raved about the duo as the best right tackle/center combination in the NFL, Schwartz is an impending free agent and Mack can opt out of his contract this offseason.
If Thomas' refreshed outlook is any indication, perhaps Jackson can sell both of them on a turnaround in Cleveland.
