The Cleveland Browns are facing a ton of questions this offseason regarding several players' futures with the franchise. One of the individuals in question is none other than offensive guard Joel Bitonio, who's spent the last 11 seasons with the Browns while racking up seven Pro Bowl appearances and two first-team All-Pro nods.
Having said that, Bitonio has been contemplating retirement after turning 33 years old in October. Although he's still one of the best run-blockers in the league, preparing for another NFL season is a serious grind at this stage of his career, and no one would blame him if he hung up his cleats after all that he's accomplished.
On Sunday, Browns fans received some clarity regarding Bitonio's outlook.
Browns Rumors: Cleveland 'Optimistic' About Joel Bitonio Return
During his time at last week's NFL scouting combine, ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler heard some buzz that "the Browns are optimistic about guard Joel Bitonio's return for a 12th season."
"(Bitonio) hasn't made a firm determination yet," Fowler wrote. "But the team is loosely planning for him to return and isn't aggressively combing the guard market at this time."
Our @DanGrazianoESPN wrote today about the tag as a real option for the Cowboys on Osa, in our must-read notebook to prep for free agency. https://t.co/6uck24dE5k
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) March 2, 2025
Even though Bitonio's decision to return for Year 12 isn't official, Fowler's update certainly makes it sound like the elite protector will be back in the trenches this fall. The former Nevada product his coming off his seventh consecutive Pro Bowl season and will play a role in any offensive success the Browns see in 2025.
Bitonio has been one of the NFL's top guards throughout the last decade, however, it remains to be seen which version of him will show up on the gridiron next season. The San Pedro, CA native's performances have been declining recently, highlighted by his Pro Football Focus grades from the last three years:
2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|
Overall Offense | 63.9 | 67.9 | 87.5 |
Pass Blocking | 70.2 | 71.0 | 80.2 |
Run Blocking | 59.6 | 60.8 | 84.4 |
With a rookie quarterback likely being under center next season, the Browns need Bitonio to step up if he's going to spend another year as the starting left guard. Fortunately, the 6-foot-4 blocker has more than proven he'll do whatever it takes to help the team, meaning fans shouldn't be surprised if he finds a way to turn back the clock one more time.
Expect Bitonio to provide the Browns with more clarity regarding his future before free agency begins on March 12. He'll likely want to give them as much time to find a potential replacement if he opts to retire.