Retired Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas believes the Green Bay Packers defense will love playing within the attacking scheme of new defensive coordinator Mike Pettine.

“Guys like Mike Daniels are going to love it,” Thomas told the “Wilde and Tausch” podcast on Wednesday. “He’s going to give them the ability to make plays, to be the athlete and playmaker that they are. Mike Pettine cut his teeth under Rex Ryan in Baltimore and with the New York Jets, some great defenses and he let them really pin their ears back and get after quarterbacks and get after offenses.”

Thomas played under Pettine during the 2014 and 2015 seasons. The Browns started 7-4 in 2014 but lost five straight to finish the year and then went 3-13 in 2015, ending Pettine’s run.

Thomas also faced Pettine’s preferred style of defense while Pettine was a defensive assistant in Baltimore and the defensive coordinator in New York and Buffalo.

“He is a great defensive mind. I think Packers fans have a right to be excited,” Thomas said. “I think he’s going to be a fun energy, an attacking defense that is going to be fun for fans to watch. And I think it’s going to be a really good defense. It’s really productive.”

Thomas has defended Pettine’s two years as Browns head coach since retiring, placing more of the blame on the failure of young quarterback Johnny Manziel.

A native of Brookfield who starred as a left tackle for the University of Wisconsin before becoming a 10-time Pro Bowler for the Browns, Thomas officially retired from the NFL this offseason – freeing him up to be a fan of the Packers once again.

Having his former coach run the Packers defense only adds to the excitement.

“It’ll be fun. I’m going to be excited to be a fan and tune into those Packers games and watch those guys run all over the field,” Thomas said.

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