The Cleveland Browns will probably lose a few players this offseason, but could they be saying goodbye to one of their fan favorites?
Writing for ESPN, Aaron Schatz said that Joel Bitonio should be looking for a new home in the league.
Schatz wrote that Bitonio should taste victory before he ends his lengthy career and join the Los Angeles Chargers.
“Bitonio is still a top-caliber guard in the league, but he deserves to play for a winner before his career is over. He has played his entire 12-year career with Cleveland and has been to the playoffs only twice. Bitonio is a free agent this offseason, and he makes a lot of sense as a one-year plug-in for a playoff contender that needs an upgrade at the position. Could we interest coach Jim Harbaugh and the Chargers?” Schatz said.
All season long, there was great speculation about what Bitonio would do in the offseason. There was talk of him trying to play for another year or two or hanging it up for good. When head coach Kevin Stefanski was fired, there was even more talk about Bitonio stepping away.
And then recently, the Browns and Bitonio extended a very important contract deadline, giving him more time to consider his options and decide what is next for him. That has led many people to think that he’s contemplating another season.
And although it seems unlikely that he’d end his career with another team, he could. If he really wants to achieve postseason victory, he may not get it with the Browns. Although they are looking to be better next year, the chances of them becoming Super Bowl contenders are slim.
A team like the Chargers could be a great fit for him.
It’s all up to Bitonio, and before he decides who he wants to play with, he needs to figure out if he wants to play at all.
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