The Cleveland Browns’ offense is hoping to look much better than it did during the 2024 NFL season.
Deshaun Watson’s time as the starter appeared to come to an end once he was ruled out for the season after tearing his Achilles, so head coach Kevin Stefanski will need to figure out who to start once the 2025 NFL campaign rolls around.
Aside from the ineptitude at quarterback, Cleveland’s offensive line also faltered due to several injuries along the front.
Fortunately, Joel Bitonio announced he would be returning for 2025 after seriously considering retirement earlier this offseason.
ESPN recently released an anonymous survey ranking the best interior offensive linemen, and Bitonio received high remarks from an AFC executive via Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.
“Definitely slight decline as he ages, but still a really good player who grades out well. Still a very consistent player compared to the rest of the field, which is something I really value at an error prevention position,” an AFC executive said of Bitonio.
Bitonio has been a stalwart along the Browns’ offensive line for years and remains steady despite his older age at the position.
For a Cleveland team that could be rolling out several different young options in 2025, it’s good to have a steady veteran like Bitonio to hold up against the pass rush.
This could very well be Bitonio’s last season and it’ll be interesting to see how he holds up.
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