Joel Bitonio Signs 3-Year Extension With Browns

Joel Bitonio in 2021
Joel Bitonio in 2021. Photo by Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times/Shutterstock (12533251a)

The Cleveland Browns announced on Wednesday that they have reached an extension agreement with their All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio. According to the announcement, Bitonio inked a three-year extension.

Bitonio, who had one year left on his contract past the 2021 NFL season, will reportedly earn $48 million with his new contract.

In a team-released statement, Cleveland’s general manager Andrew Berry said that getting a deal done with Bitonio was one franchise’s “major football priorities”.

“Joel is one of our most decorated players and is the ideal personification of our ‘Tough, Smart, Accountable’ mantra. We value Joel’s high-level performance, leadership, consistency, and durability,” Berry said while adding that the organization wanted to make Bitonio “a Brown for the rest of his career” with this new contract.

The news comes less than 24 hours after the Browns also locked Pro Bowl right guard Wyatt Teller to a long-term deal. Teller signed a four-year, $56.8 million extension.

Joel Bitonio came into the NFL as Cleveland’s second-round selection in 2014. Since then, he started 103 games for the franchise and became the longest-tenured player currently on the Browns’ roster. Bitonio was selected to Second-team All-Pro and had Pro Bowl nods in each of the past three seasons.