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Top Free Agent Landing Spots For G Joel Bitonio
May 30, 2026Logan UlrichNFL Trade Rumors
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Joe Burrow
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Former Browns G Joel Bitonio has been one of the best offensive linemen of the last decade, earning seven Pro Bowls, two first-team All-Pro selections and three more second-team honors. Excelling that much on a team like Cleveland that’s largely been bad throughout his tenure also makes those honors even more impressive. Still, he probably faces an uphill battle for the Pro Football Hall of Fame one day precisely because of the Browns’ inability to seriously contend throughout his career. That makes the next step of his career potentially fascinating. Bitonio is a free agent for the first time after he and the Browns elected to let his current contract expire. He’s considering retirement after 12 years in the NFL, the second year in a row he’s openly acknowledged the possibility. But he could also keep playing, and if he does it’s unlikely to be with the Browns. Cleveland has left the door open to bringing Bitonio back, but the Browns have done little to inspire confidence that a 13th year wouldn’t be more of the same. This is Bitonio’s chance to play for a winning squad, something he’s experienced just twice during his tenure with the Browns. And a Super Bowl ring would fill in really the last glaring gap on his resume for the Hall. There are plenty of other considerations, like the health implications of going through the grind of another season and the time away from family. But for a competitor like Bitonio, the chance to cement his legacy is not a nothingburger. Given how desperate teams usually are for quality offensive linemen, Bitonio should have options to play if he wants to. Bitonio, 34, is a former third-round pick of the Browns back in 2014. He signed a six-year, $51.2 million deal in 2017 that included $17.1 million guaranteed. Bitonio was set to make base salaries of $8 million and $8.5 million over the final two years of the agreement when he signed a three-year contract extension in 2021. The Browns restructured the deal back in 2023 to clear just under $7.9 million in cap space. In 2024, Bitonio appeared in and started all 17 games for the Browns at left guard. Pro Football Focus had him graded as the No. 21 guard out of 79 qualifying players. We have him included in our Top 100 Available NFL Free Agents list. Pittsburgh Steelers The Steelers signed up for another ride — the last ride — on The Aaron Rodgers Experience in 2026. Pittsburgh’s roster is loaded with veterans, guys like OLB T.J. Watt , DT Cameron Heyward , S Jalen Ramsey and more on top of Rodgers, so it’s the very definition of a win-now squad. The front office won’t mortgage the future but expect them to be aggressive to try and maximize any Super Bowl chances the Steelers might have this year. That might require some attention to the offensive line. The tackle spots have dominated the conversation so far thanks to former first-round LT Broderick Jones ’ neck injury that is still holding him back and the selection of first-round OT Max Iheanachor . But the Steelers lost stalwart G Isaac Seumalo in free agency, creating a void on the interior. So far the plan seems to be to shift Mason McCormick to the left side and let Spencer Anderson and third-rounder Gennings Dunker duke it out for the starting right guard spot. But if the switch gives McCormick some hiccups and neither Anderson nor Dunker asserts themselves as the starter, Bitonio would give the Steelers a potentially cleaner solution. He could step in at left guard, where he’s played for the vast bul…