One of the few constants of the Cleveland Browns over the past decade has been the presence of seven-time Pro Bowler and five-time All-Pro Joel Bitonio at left guard. He, along with the rest of Cleveland’s starting offensive line, hit free agency this offseason and there hasn’t been much talk about when, or if, he plans to sign another contract.
Over the past year or two, Bitonio hasn’t shied away from the fact that retirement has been on his mind. The Browns are honoring him by giving him as much time as he needs to make a decision, but the team can’t afford to wait, which is why GM Andrew Berry had to act quickly and bring in a pair of new guards in Zion Johnson and Teven Jenkins to replace Bitonio and fellow free agent guard Wyatt Teller. ESPN’s Tony Grossi recently provided a quote from Berry that should help shed a bit of light on the Bitonio situation.
Berry said that Bitonio has earned the right to make a decision when the time is right for him.
“Joel [Bitonio] has been a foundational player for the org. He’s everything we could’ve had asked as a Brown. He’s earned the right to make a decision on his time,” Berry said, per Tony Grossi.
GM Andrew Berry: 'Joel has been a foundational player for the org. He's everything we could've had asked as a Brown. He's earned the right to make a decision on his time.'
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) April 16, 2026
The way Berry worded this makes it sound like the Browns have left the door open for a Bitonio return, but that’s tough to envision. If he does return to the NFL for another year, he’d surely want to start, and his seat in Cleveland isn’t vacant anymore after the Johnson signing.
New head coach Todd Monken has a lot of pressure on him to get this offense headed in the right direction, and that all started with bringing in an entirely new offensive line. If he and Berry are aligned on draft priorities, a first-round left tackle would round out this new five-man unit and give Cleveland a sneaky good group that could be one of the best O-Lines in the AFC. There is zero margin for error in this coming draft, as it’s imperative that the team continues to get younger and more talented.
As great as Bitonio has been, it’s tough to envision him having a place on this roster anymore.
NEXT: Todd Monken Reveals How Browns Will Look In 2026
