Joe Thomas among three Browns on Pro Football Focus' top 101 players
Three Browns players earned spots in Pro Football Focus' top 101 players for 2014.
While other similar lists sometimes devolve into popularity contests, Pro Football Focus only goes by what it sees on tape during the 2014 season. Joe Thomas was ranked the highest at No. 20 with positive grades in all but three games. Thomas was the third-highest offensive tackle behind Philadelphia's Jason Peters (No. 14) and the Bengals' Andrew Whitworth (No. 16).
Joel Bitonio was the next Brown on the list at 47. The rookie guard had standout campaign alongside Thomas on the offensive line. Bitonio was the only offensive guard to score a plus-10 or higher for pass protection and run blocking.
Linebacker Karlos Dansby made the list at No. 95 despite missing the last four games of the season due to a knee injury. Dansby's rating was buoyed by the second-highest coverage grade among inside linebackers.
Notably absent from the list were Pro Bowl cornerback Joe Haden and center Alex Mack, who probably would have made the list if he hadn't broken his leg early in the season.
h/t: Pro Football Focus