The start of NFL free agency could be the end of OL Joel Bitonio’s career with the Cleveland Browns. That is not a surprise to anyone who has followed the team, as Bitonio almost decided to retire last offseason
before returning for what might have been one last run in 2025.On Day 1 of free agency, the Browns reportedly came to an agreement with OL Zion Johnson, who has spent his last three seasons starting at Bitonio’s position of left guard. Johnson played well at right guard as a rookie, opening
up the possibility of Bitonio’s return sliding him back to the right side.
Late Monday night, OL Alijah Vera-Tucker reportedly agreed to a deal with the New England Patriots, with a note coming that Cleveland was “aggressively in the mix.” The Athletic’s Dianna Russini followed that up by saying the Browns are still in the market for a veteran guard:
If the Johnson signing was a hint that Bitonio was not returning, signing a second veteran guard on Tuesday would provide the final answer. There is still the possibility of Bitonio deciding to remain an active player and try to find an opportunity to win big somewhere else instead of retiring.
In 12 seasons with the Browns, Bitonio started in all 178 games that he played in, with a streak of seven straight Pro Bowls broken in 2025. Cleveland had just two winning seasons during Bitonio’s time with the team and was never a real AFC contender.
If Bitonio does decide to retire, hopefully, he will get a chance to make that announcement before the Browns sign another guard in free agency. Similar to Hall of Famer Joe Thomas, Bitonio has earned that level of respect from the team.
Do you read into this report as Bitonio is done with the Browns or are you still holding out hope that he decides to return for another season?
Join the conversation!
Sign up for a user account and get:
- Fewer ads
- Create community posts
- Comment on articles, community posts
- Rec comments, community posts
- New, improved notifications system!
