As 10-time Pro Bowl left tackle Joe Thomas contemplates his future, the Browns rewarded him with a raise.
The Browns amended Thomas' contract this week to give him $3 million in new money, $1.5 million this year and $1.5 million next year, a team spokesman confirmed Saturday for the Beacon Journal.
Thomas, a future Hall of Famer, suffered a season-ending torn triceps tendon Oct. 22 in a 12-9 overtime loss to the Tennessee Titans and later said he would decide after this season whether to resume his career or retire.
ESPN first reported Thomas' amended contract, which includes a $1.5 million roster bonus paid this week and an increase of $1.5 million in 2018 base salary. With bonuses and his new base salary of $10.3 million, Thomas is scheduled to make $13.5 million in 2018, the most among NFL offensive linemen.
The Browns planned to give Thomas a raise before the torn triceps tendon ended his legendary consecutive snap streak at 10,363, required surgery and sent him to injured reserve. The organization followed through with the raise despite the injury because it believes Thomas, who signed a seven-year, $84 million contract extension in 2011, deserves to be paid among the best offensive linemen in the league.
The bump in salary also gives Thomas, 32, more incentive to attempt a comeback and the Browns a positive headline after they agreed Tuesday to trade for Cincinnati Bengals backup quarterback AJ McCarron but failed to finalize the deal before the NFL's 4 p.m. deadline.
