Odell Beckham Jr. skipped the Cleveland Browns’ voluntary OTAs, and former Browns offensive tackle Joe Thomas is here to explain, in incredible detail, not only why it is not the huge deal some have made it out to be but also why it could actually be beneficial for him as a player.

ESPN 850 WKNR’s Tony Grossi, a longtime Browns reporter, wrote that Beckham missed nine of his new team’s 10 voluntary OTA practices, and that head coach Freddie Kitchens was irritated by it. That was late last week, and it followed a series of other stories from Grossi about the wide receiver’s absence.

In a detailed and thoughtful essay — which included a TL;DR synopsis — Thomas thoroughly explained Monday on Twitter why he felt compelled to defend Beckham and add his own stance on OTAs. The argument is rooted in the idea that veteran players know their bodies best and are, therefore, the most qualified to make decisions about participating in offseason voluntary activities.

Titled “Tony Grossi – OBJ: Missing in Action Storyline: A Players [sic] Perspective”, Thomas poses and answers questions about why Grossi focuses so much on Beckham not being at OTAs and then about what he gets wrong by focusing in on it.

Tony Grossi vs. OBJ: Missing in Action Storyline-

A Players Perspective Why does Mr Grossi write incessantly about Mr Beckham missing voluntary OTA days? @obj @bakermayfield @TonyGrossi pic.twitter.com/ONUX1C7BAt — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 3, 2019

Here’s Thomas’ handy synopsis:

“OTAs and NFL off-season training with a team vs. on one’s own is a tradeoff of getting additional practice reps vs. the best readiness for the body and mind. I think reasonable minds can agree that if a player could practice everyday [sic] of the year but sacrifice that for never being able to work-out, we would say we need to practice less and workout [sic] more. Therefore, it’s reasonable to say there is some type of balance between practice and training that we need to find throughout a calendar year. I believe that a veteran player is the only person able to truly know what that balance is for themselves. That balance is often found in the off-season, and as long as a veteran player comes into camp in shape, then he knows the best methods to get himself physically and mentally in shape for a long and grinding NFL season because there is nothing that happens in OTAs that won’t quickly be made up for during training camp. Let’s not think we know a players’ [sic] body and mind better than they know themselves. Rest and mental re-focus is the only thing that can’t be caught back up on in training camp.”

And then Grossi offered a response about Thomas’ own record attending OTAs, and his question seems easily answerable in the former tackle’s argument about no one knowing what’s best for is body beyond the player.

I can sum up my argument with one question: If OTAs were so unimportant, Mr. Thomas, why then did you elect to attend every year? No further questions. https://t.co/mg2i4HkROv — Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) June 3, 2019

Thomas added an even more incredibly thorough response in a Twitter thread later Monday evening.

My argument is OTAs have a certain value, but so does training the body and recharging the mind. It’s important to place the proper value on all of the off-season activities and then weigh them against each other when deciding how to spend your time to make yourself… — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

If the equation was OTAs vs laying on the couch and eating bon-bons, I’d say get your ass to OTAs, if the equation is OTAs vs elite and customized training tailored specifically to your body by a trainer who’s known you and worked with you for years, it’s a more nuanced question — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

I just think overlooking that fact is short sighted and deems off-season training unimportant. Back to your question…Here’s why I attend OTAs for the Browns every year. — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

2) I lived in #Cleveland year round. I believe @obj lives in LA and would have to uproot his life (just traded) and go back and forth every week to make the OTAs. The stress and travel would lead to less than ideal training conditions — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

4) The last 3-4 years of my career, I didn’t participate in the OTA practices. This was primarily because of the accumulated wear and tear, and to minimize any further damage when it didn’t directly effect a real game, but a huge benefit was being able to “train thru” OTAs. — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

By not practicing, I was able to maximize my training sessions (improve much greater strength, flexibility, injury resistance, speed, quickness, etc) and come out of the spring sessions a better version of myself then if I had practiced and had less intense training. — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

6) I liked the free food in Berea…see draft day this year. Don’t ever turn down a free meal — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019

Quite the thesis here, and it’s safe to say Thomas won this Twitter spat with his detailed argument.

Couple comments, then I hope you would please join me on @ESPNCleveland on Thursday for a spirited debate! https://t.co/uLPvkI2ME9 — Joe Thomas (@joethomas73) June 4, 2019