What’s Next for the 2026 Browns Offensive Line After a Five-Time All-Pro Guard Retired?
Early on Tuesday morning, Cleveland Browns veteran offensive guard Joel Bitonio announced that he is hanging up his cleats and retiring after 12 years in the league. Bitonio spent all 12 of his playing years with the Browns, after being drafted out of Nevada in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. The California native had a tremendous career, including a stretch from 2018 to 2024 where he was nominated to the Pro Bowl each year. The five-year stint from 2018-2022 will likely be remembered as the prime of his career, as he was named to the All-Pro Second Team three times and the All-Pro First Team twice. What the 34-year-old will be remembered for most is his loyalty, as he stuck around throughout Cleveland’s most painful stretches, including the Browns' 4-44 stretch from 2015-2017, which included an 0-17 campaign, and Cleveland’s major falls in 2021 and 2024 after they made the playoffs for the only times in Bitonio’s stellar career.
The time has now come for a replacement to fill Bitonio’s giant-sized shoes, both literally and figuratively. Zion Johnson, who was signed this spring as part of a very solid Browns free agent class, will immediately be viewed as the heir apparent at the left guard position. General manager Andrew Berry shelled out a three-year, $49.5 million contract, which, coupled with Bitonio’s retirement, now puts huge expectations on Johnson. However, a lot of work will need to be done on Johnson before he can reach the status of the five-time All-Pro guard.
The positives of Johnson’s play lie in his availability and run-blocking ability. Last season, the 26-year-old played 100% of offensive snaps for the Los Angeles Chargers and was the one constant for quarterback Justin Herbert on a unit that struggled mightily in 2025. The former Boston College Eagle finished the season ranked as the second-best lineman in terms of run block win rate at 79.3%, a sign that head coach Todd Monken probably vouched to go after him this spring to use Johnson for the Browns' new run-heavy scheme. However, Johnson was one of the league’s poorest pass protectors last season, which could spell trouble for Cleveland’s quarterback room, which is either inexperienced or a veteran in Deshaun Watson, who has either been injured or inconsistent throughout his time with the Browns. The 26-year-old has the potential to be a promising or Pro Bowl-level guard, similarly to the great Bitonio, but Cleveland’s coaching staff will have to really push him if they want him to get there.
