Joel Bitonio: Everything you need to know

Bitonio and the Browns have pushed the void date on his contract to the start of the new league year on March 11, giving him additional time to decide whether to retire or return for the 2026 season, Dan Labbe of cleveland.com reports. Bitonio's contract had been slated to void Feb. 16, but he'll now have nearly an extra month to weigh his options. Were Bitonio's contract to void, Cleveland would take on over $23 million in dead cap, so it stands to reason that the veteran guard will either ink an extension or be released by March 11, depending on his decision. The 34-year-old offensive lineman continued to perform at a high level across his 17 regular-season appearances in 2025.

Bitonio (knee/back) is active for Sunday's battle against the Bears. Bitonio dealt with injuries to his knee and back during the week and logged a DNP/DNP/LP practice progression. He was given a designation of questionable entering the weekend but will be able to take the field Sunday and should take on his usual role as Cleveland's starting left guard.

The Browns announced Wednesday that Bitonio will return for the 2025 season. Bitonio was contemplating retirement following the 2024 campaign, but the seven-time Pro Bowler has decided to return for a 12th NFL season. Bitonio started in all 17 games for the Browns last year and has missed just two regular-season games since 2017.