Bitonio was taken by the Browns in the second round of the 2014 draft from Nevada and has been a foundation piece of the offensive line ever since.
The thirty-year-old Bitonio was selected to the Pro Bowl in each of the previous three seasons and continues to play well as part of arguably the best offensive line in football.
Bitonio's sixteen million per year contract places him ahead of both Teller and Kansas City's Joe Varney as the highest-paid guard in the league if you go by yearly salary.
The Browns continue to lock up key pieces of the team's recent rise in the standings and are committed to three of the five members of the offensive line (Bitonio, Teller, with extensions, and Jedrick Wills remains on his rookie contract) for the next few seasons with veterans Jack Conklin and J.C Tretter both signed through the end of the 2022 season.
The Browns will still have to make a decision on new contracts/extensions past 2022 for quarterback Baker Mayfield and cornerback Denzel Ward and as far as Mayfield goes, I can see Andrew Berry thinking one of two ways.
Berry could have decided that he would like to keep Mayfield and it would be best to do so by continuing to protect him well and make him comfortable behind a veteran offensive line that he is familiar with.
However, it's not out of the question that Berry may be leaning towards not signing Mayfield to a larger extension and could be hedging his bets with a new and cheaper quarterback with the same strong veteran offensive line that in theory, the new quarterback (in 2023) could come straight into the lineup behind three top-notch performers (at least) and not have to worry about his protection.
Either way, you cannot find much to complain about when you lock up a three-time Pro Bowler for three more seasons and deep into his thirties.
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