Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas is preparing to shield his quarterback, Colt McCoy, from a Ravens defense that sacked San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex Smith nine times in last week's win.
He is also preparing to protect his ears from the barrage of insults sure to come from the Baltimore defense.
“
,” Thomas told
The Canton Repository
in Canton, Ohio. “Some of it is personal, but it’s funny.”
The chattiest, Thomas says, is Ray Lewis, who finished second behind Chad Ochocinco in a recent
Sports Illustrated
poll asking current players
. (Lewis has missed the past two games and did not practice Wednesday, putting his status for Sunday’s game in Cleveland in doubt.)
“Ray Lewis does so much talking out there that there’s not much room for anybody else,” Thomas said.
For what it’s worth, the Ravens praised the 4-7 Browns before Wednesday’s practice, particularly Thomas, whom Suggs
. “He is one of the best there is,” Suggs said.