Berea, OH (92.3 The Fan) – After hoping 4 others would win the job, the Browns finally have their replacement for Joe Thomas.
Meet undrafted rookie free agent Desmond Harrison.
Harrison will complete the offensive line that also moves Joel Bitonio back to his natural position at left guard.
“Obviously, he is talented enough,” head coach Hue Jackson said. “This is hopefully going to be our lineup thought the season.”
Replacing Thomas, who played 10,363 consecutive snaps and started 147 consecutive games over 11 seasons and is presumed to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer, has been quite the saga this offseason.
Shon Coleman started training camp as the favorite to win the job but that lasted all of 8 practices. He was traded to the 49ers for a 2019 seventh-round pick on Aug. 31.
They moved Joel Bitonio from left guard to left tackle for the rest of camp after demoting Coleman. He moved back to guard last week.
“I think he’s ready,” Bitonio said. “I think the coaches and upper management have made that decision and they trust him and they know he’s going to get better every rep that he’s out there to improve. He’s a confident, kid, though. I know he feels like he belongs out there.”
Jackson is happy to reverse course with Bitonio and move him back to his natural position.
"Obviously, Joel is the best left guard,” Jackson said. “We feel like we are heading in the right direction by far. I agonized over this decision because it is a huge decision. At the same time, I have confidence one, in our coaches, and in the player. He has worked hard. He wants this opportunity. He has demonstrated that."
Harrison, who becomes the first undrafted rookie to start a game at left tackle for the franchise since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970 according to the team, missed the first 11 practices of training camp due to a toe injury slowing his ability to compete early for the job.
But Harrison knew when he arrived in the spring for rookie minicamp he’d win the job.
“I expected it,” Harrison said.
No. 33 overall pick Austin Corbett and former No. 2 overall pick Gregg Robinson also received consideration but that also didn’t materialize.
And so here we are to Harrison, whom many scouts graded high from a pure football talent perspective, like they did Browns rookie receiver Antonio Callaway – a fourth-round pick – to take over for Thomas, a job that comes with a lot of pressure.
“I mean, I’m replacing Joe, so I know how big it is,” Harrison said.
“I just knew a little bit about watching Joe Thomas, so now I know a lot about him.”
Harrison’s background and troubled past took him off draft boards, but his talent was good enough that the Browns took a chance on bringing him to Cleveland after the draft.
“When he came here, we were very excited about him,” Jackson said. “There were some things that he did at OTAs. You could see it. Then it got to be how bad did he want to be the left tackle. Just put his head down and worked.
“It is one heck of a story, but it does not matter until gameday. He has to go do it. He recognizes that. He is ready to go.”
Listed at 6-foot-6 and 305 pounds, Harrison is the prototypical NFL left tackle.
“He is long. He is athletic. He can run. He is tough. He is all of the things that you want,” Jackson said. “He just has not done it yet at this level.”
Harrison started off at Contra Costa Community College in San Pablo, California for 2 seasons before transferring to Texas in 2013 where he played in 7 games but in 2014 was suspended twice – reportedly for failing drug tests – and eventually was kicked off the team.
He also survived reportedly being shot in the upper leg.
“Just being immature, not handling my business,” Harrison said of the troubles at Texas.
After sitting out 2 years, Harrison transferred to West Georgia where he started 9 of 10 games last year but he always believed he’d play in the NFL.
“It wasn’t a football standpoint, it was just getting myself right mentally,” Harrison said of taking time away from the game.
General manager John Dorsey’s message to him was brief in May after the draft.
“Just be a pro,” Harrison said. “That’s it. Just be a pro. And come handle my business.”
Harrison also failed a drug test at the NFL combine in February, but like Callaway, Jackson is confident the team's support system will keep him out of trouble and they’ve received no indication of any problems with Harrison since signing him.
“John Dorsey and myself, those are decisions that we made to bring these guys in. We have also made the decisions to support them in every way that we can,” Jackson said. “He has been outstanding since he has been here. He has handled that part of it right or else he would not be where he is.
“We are looking for the total player because we need guys that are going to be dependable, accountable and are going to be there all of the time. He has demonstrated that. I think that he has earned it. He has earned it though his play, his work ethic and doing things the right way on and off the field.”
The shoes Harrison now fills are enormous but the opportunity before him is once in a lifetime.
As for his feelings come Sunday, “I’d say like Christmas Eve,” Harrison said.
