Not so long ago, the Cleveland Browns could brag about having either the best or one of the three best offensive guards in the game.
Unfortunately, Father Time spares no victims, and the league doesn’t care about what you did in the past; it’s all about what you can do in the present and the future.
Notably, that’s why it’s not much of a surprise to see Joel Bitonio stumble in the PFF rankings ahead of this season.
Per NFL analyst Mason Cameron, Bitonio no longer belongs in the top tier of OGs in this league.
In his latest column, Cameron ranked Bitonio No. 14, just below Isaac Seumalo (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Sam Cosmi (Washington Commanders), and right above the likes of Damien Lewis (Carolina Panthers) and Robert Hunt (Panthers):
“Although Bitonio enters his age-34 season and is coming off the lowest-graded season of his career, he still profiles as one of the most consistent interior pass protectors in the NFL. He ranks in the 93rd percentile on true pass sets at the position since 2022. That sustained performance as a pass protector has earned him the fourth-most PFF WAR (1.23) over the past three seasons,” Cameron wrote.
Of course, it’s worth noting that PFF grades are purely based on stats and metrics; they don’t consider intangibles or anything else.
They can also vary drastically from one season to the other, and while some players decline overnight, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s going to be the case with Bitonio or anybody else.
Bitonio had to play alongside a banged-up offensive line that featured a new position coach and scheme.
There was only so much he could do to keep Deshaun Watson from running into the pass-rush, and he’s not to blame for his pocket awareness.
Bitonio is still a better player than some of the ones listed above him, and hopefully, these unflattering rankings will only translate into more motivation.
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