The Cleveland Browns will likely see Joel Bitonio not on the roster in 2026.
Bitonio is a free agent, and new head coach Todd Monken has pleaded with the star guard to return. Yet, Browns insider Zac Jackson of The Athletic doubts Bitonio will return to the team, as it’s likely he will retire or play elsewhere in 2026.
“Berry said that veteran guard Joel Bitonio, who’s played in more games than any other player for the new-era Browns, “deserves the time and space” to make a decision on his football future,” Jackson wrote. “The sides have remained in contact. And Bitonio is eligible for free agency for the first time if he chooses to play a 13th NFL season. …
“I think Bitonio will choose to retire (75 percent) or play elsewhere (25 percent), but that’s just my gut feeling. He seemed to waver in early 2025 while deciding his football future, so it’s entirely possible he’s still deciding and may want to return to the Browns.”
If Bitonio retires, he would go down as an all-time Browns player, and at this point, Jackson believes that is the way he’s leaning.
Bitonio has spent his entire career in Cleveland after the Browns selected him in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. He’s a seven-time Pro Bowler.
Todd Monken Wants Bitonio Back
The Browns hired Todd Monken as their new head coach, and he’s hopeful Bitonio will be back in 2026.
Bitonio has been a key part of the Browns’ offensive line for years, and Monken knows how important he is to the team.
“He came up to the office a few weeks ago and we tried to talk him into it right then,” Monken said. “But he was not in that position yet to say he wanted to come back.
“I’m for really good football players and I’m for really good football players that are wired like Joel. There’s not many wired like Joel. What he says, how he carries himself, how he prepares. I mean, it’s unbelievable. He’s rare, 12 years and the pounding he’s taken and continued to play at such a high level.”
Bitonio and the Browns mutually agreed to push back the decision on the void years in his contract to March 10, allowing him and the team more time to make a decision.
Browns GM Makes Feelings Clear on Bitonio
Cleveland has an interesting offseason ahead, and the Browns want to keep Bitonio.
At the NFL Draft Combine, Browns general manager Andrew Berry said they ‘absolutely’ want Bitonio back.
“Joel’s still working through that. And at this point in his career, this point in his life, he deserves the time and space to do that. Stay in regular communications and we’ll work through that at the appropriate time,” Berry told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL draft combine.
Although the Browns want Bitonio back, if he opts not to retire, the guard will be highly sought after. So, Bitonio could decide to play elsewhere in 2026 and chase a Super Bowl as he’s yet to win one in his career.
Browns Get Concerning Update on Joel Bitonio Despite Todd Monken’s Plea