Hard to remember when he wasn't here
Please join me in wishing Redskins right guard Randy Thomas a happy birthday, he turned 33 back on 19 January (sorry I am late on this one Randy, I get lazy in the offseason too).
Randy was drafted by the Jets in the second round of the 1999 draft out of Mississippi State and cracked the starting lineup immediately. He started all 16 games in both 1999 and 2000 and was part of a unit known for run blocking (Curtis Martin, 1464 yards in 1999), pass blocking (245 passing yards per game in 2000) and protecting the quarterback (the Jets offensive line allowed 20 sacks in 2000 and 19 in 2001).
Randy's rookie contract was up at the end of the 2002 season, he was a Pro Bowl alternate that year, it was a 2003 offseason priority of the Jets to keep Randy, they could not as Randy signed a seven year 28 million dollar contract with a seven million dollar bonus, a veritable steal in today's dollars, with the Redskins. That year, 2003, Randy was a Pro Bowl alternate once again on a line that blocked the platoon of Trung Canidate (600 yards), Rock Cartwright (411 yards), Ladell Betts (255 yards) and Chad Morton (216 yards) to 1482 yards on the ground.
Since then Randy has been a solid player for the Redskins, Clinton Portis gained over 1300 yards in 2004, a franchise record 1516 in 2005 and Ladell Betts 1154 on nine starts in relief of an injured Clinton. In that four season period from 2003 to 2006 Randy only missed three games.
In the 2007 offseason the team gave Randy an extension in a classic cash over cap deal, giving Randy a ten million dollar bonus and locking him up through the 2011 season. Sadly though Randy was lost to a torn triceps in the second game of the 2007 season against the Eagles, sitting out the next ten games before coming back in game thirteen to help the Redskins beat the Bears without Jason Campbell, Randy hurt his elbow in that game and the team had to shut him down to injured reserve to end the season.
In 2008 Randy was back to his regular spot, he started all sixteen games last season and had a solid if unspectacular season, despite questions about the right side of the line all season Clinton Portis still managed to gain 1487 yards and Jason Campbell had time to throw for over 3200 yards with but six interceptions.
Randy will be back and ready to gor for 2009, the Redskins are solid at right guard.
Happy birthday Randy!
Redskins right guard Randy Thomas: Charles Dharapak / AP photo from here.
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