Browns sign guard Bitonio to 3-year, $48 million extension

CLEVELAND (AP) — The Cleveland Browns made another huge investment into their offensive line, signing three-time Pro Bowl left guard Joel Bitonio to a three-year, $48 million contract extension on Wednesday.

Bitonio’s deal, which runs through the 2025 season, follows one given by Cleveland to right guard Wyatt Teller, who signed a four-year, $56.8 million extension on Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Bitonio was under contract through 2022 — he signed a six-year, $51 million deal in 2017 — but the Browns wanted to secure one of their leaders and best players and have him finish his career with Cleveland.

Bitonio was drafted by the Browns in the second round in 2014. As the team’s longest-tenured player, he’s seen it all — coaching and front-office changes, quarterback swaps and losing, including an 0-16 season in 2017.

Cleveland has become home, and he wants to stay.

“I’ve been here for eight years now and seen a lot of ups and downs,” Bitonio said. “To be part of that and for the team to have faith in me and allow me to be here for my entire career, it really means a lot. It’s special.”

Bitonio has been durable, not missing a snap since the start of the 2017 season. He helps anchor one of the NFL’s best offensive lines, which has been responsible for Cleveland having such a strong rushing game.

When the Browns finally ended their 18-season playoff drought last season, Bitonio missed the wild-card game in Pittsburgh after testing positive for COVID-19.

“Joel Bitonio is everything you’d ever want in a football player,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “We always know exactly what we are going to get from Joel every rep, every practice, every game.”

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