Browns, Pro Bowl OG Joel Bitonio agree to extension

The Browns have now agreed to extensions with two guards in two days. Shortly after their Wyatt Teller deal, the Browns have come to terms with Joel Bitonio, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.

This emerged as a strong possibility earlier Wednesday, and the Browns went from having Teller in a contract year and Bitonio on a through-2022 deal to both signed long term. These moves lock down arguably the NFL’s premier guard tandem, keeping key principals of Cleveland’s dominant run game in the fold.

Since signing a five-year, $50M pact in 2017, Bitonio saw the guard market transform. Ten guards entered Wednesday out-earning him, including Teller, who agreed to a four-year deal worth $56.8M. Given Bitonio’s accomplishments going into his age-30 season, he will almost certainly receive a big raise from his previous accord.

Bitonio made three Pro Bowls while playing on that $10M-per-year contract, and over the past two seasons, the Browns have deployed a top-tier offensive line. Cleveland’s historically talented Nick Chubb–Kareem Hunt backfield duo has the Browns second in rushing yards this season, and in the game both Pro Bowlers missed, ex-Alliance of American Football back D’Ernest Johnson totaled nearly 200 scrimmage yards in a win over the Broncos.

The last link to Cleveland’s Joe Thomas-fronted offensive lines, Bitonio is the longest-tenured player on the team. The Browns selected him during the Ray Farmer GM regime, acquiring him in the second round of the 2014 draft. Bitonio has been a starter since Week 1 of his rookie season and has made 104 starts during his career.