Tag: Joel Bitonio

Browns land 3 players on CBS Sports Pete Prisco’s NFL top 100

The Browns had three players land in Pete Prisco’s top 100. Did the CBS Sports analyst get it right?

The Cleveland Browns did not find collective success in 2022, finishing last in the AFC North. However, the likes of defensive end Myles Garrett, running back Nick Chubb, and offensive guard Joel Bitonio all achieved All-Pro honors for their efforts. And they all landed on CBS Sports’ Pete Prisco’s top 100 list heading into the 2023 season.

So just how high did the likes of Garrett, Chubb, and Bitonio land in Prisco’s rankings? Take a look here as we also hit on one player who was named as an honorable mention, and a couple who may have been snubbed from the list.

ESPN ranks Browns roster as 11th best in NFL

The #Browns still have a relatively young core and ESPN believes that their roster ranks in the top half of the NFL

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ESPN has released their 2023 NFL roster core rankings with the Cleveland Browns right outside of the top-10 at number 11. This seems fair as the Browns still have several younger players but some questions remain at the most important position.

“A few years ago this group could have challenged for the No. 1 spot in these rankings. But after Watson played so poorly in his return to football in 2022, posting a Total QBR of 38.0, it’s fair to wonder whether he holds the rest of the players on this list back going into 2023. If he gets back to his Houston level of play, Cleveland would fly up the list.”

Concerns about Deshaun Watson are valid, as there is no way to know if he will return to form in 2023, though it seems likely. The team’s median age is under 28 so they have a ton of youthful talent and if Watson bounces back they will be contenders for an extended period of time.

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Nick Chubb, Joel Bitonio, 6 other veterans resting through voluntary OTAs

Relax, it’s voluntary.

The Cleveland Browns are back in Berea for another stint of voluntary OTAs. And while there is always a ton of commotion made about the veterans who do not attend, it is nothing to make a big deal about as they will all be there when mandatory camp rolls around. In fact, among those missing are the golden children of the Browns: running back Nick Chubb and offensive guard Joel Bitonio.

All in all, eight veterans are missing from OTAs in Northeast Ohio. Here are those veterans who will undoubtedly be in the building when the workouts become mandatory.

PFF’s Sam Monson lists the Browns offensive line as league’s best

The Browns continue to have one of the strongest offensive lines in the NFL.

After releasing veteran center JC Tretter, the Cleveland Browns were looking at replacing a pro bowler on a great offensive line. However, Ethan Pocic stepped in and played at a high level in by far the best season of his young career. Now returning all five starters, with some intriguing depth, PFF’s Sam Monson lists the Browns line as the best in the NFL.

The biggest question mark will be if Pocic can continue his high level of play or if last year was an anomaly. Adding Dawand Jones is an intriguing pick as a player with tremendous upside that could be the long-term answer when Jack Conklin is no longer in Cleveland. With Bill Callahan coaching the squad you can bet on one thing, the unit will always be prepared.

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Joel Bitonio donates $1 million to his alma mater

The Walter Payton Man of the Year for the Browns, Joel Bitonio continues his philanthropic ways by donating $1 million to his alma mater.

The Cleveland Browns have a kind soul in the form of left guard Joel Bitonio. Named the team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2022, the elder statesman on the roster continues his philanthropic ways. This time, Bitonio has turned to his alma mater, the University of Nevada, donating $1 million to the athletic department for a new weight room. In a press release from the university, Bitonio had this to say:

“I’m honored to be able to give back to the university that helped shape me into the person I am today… I know firsthand the impact that a strong football program can have on student-athletes. The weight room has always been more than just a place to train; it is where teams build character, develop discipline, and learn the importance of teamwork. I’m proud to be able to support the football program’s success and ensure student-athletes have the resources they need to succeed.”

The new weight room will wear Bitonio’s name, as it is now known as the Bitonio Family Strength and Conditioning Center.

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Browns land 4 on PFF’s Top 101 players of the 2022 NFL season

Which Browns made the list for 2022?

Recapping and reflecting on the 2022 NFL season continues as PFF has released their top 101 players from this past season. The Cleveland Browns were able to get four players on the list with three of them coming on offense and only one on defense. For the first 11 games with Jacoby Brissett as the quarterback the team was one of the most efficient offenses in football under Kevin Stefanski. The running game was elite and the offensive line play was good overall.

It isn’t a surprise that the team only had one player on defense after the defense as a whole was not something to write home about. Let’s take a look at the four players that did make the list for Cleveland.

Browns’ Joel Bitonio shows off his hands at Pro Bowl Games

Bitonio is having a great showing in the Pro Bowl games

Joel Bitonio is at the Pro Bowl (the Senior Bowl isn’t the only event going on this week) yet again, and so far he is showing that maybe he should get some red zone targets for the Cleveland Browns. Between the water balloon challenge and catching footballs from the Jugs machine, he is having a great showing. Everyone knows that Bitonio is an All-Pro lineman, but he is having fun and putting on a show in Vegas.

And if that isn’t enough, he has begun fielding punts while holding multiple footballs and making one-handed catches. Kevin Stefanski has to be scheming up ideas while watching this. It’s all in good fun, and I find this far more entertaining than the previous version of the Pro Bowl.

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Browns’ offensive line ranked just outside top-five in 2022

The Browns’ offensive line just missed the top-five.

The Cleveland Browns have had one of the better offensive lines in the NFL since the Kevin Stefanski and Andrew Berry era. And while they under-performed a bit in 2022, this unit led by All-Pro left guard Joel Bitonio was still ranked just outside the top-five by PFF in their end-of-season offensive line rankings.

What were some notes PFF had on the Browns’ offensive line?:

“Cleveland’s line finished the year ranked sixth as a run-blocking unit and slipped from its best play as the season went on.”

“Joel Bitonio finished the season named as a PFF All-Pro at left guard. He allowed one sack all season and earned an 84.5 PFF run-blocking grade.”

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Browns have three stars voted to PFWA All-NFL Team

Browns have three players earning a repeat nomination.

The Pro Football Writers of America released their All-NFL team and the Cleveland Browns had three players repeat on the list. Myles Garrett, Joel Bitonio, and Nick Chubb received the honors yet again. The three players continue to have great careers for the Browns. The season would have been worse if these players weren’t here.

With all three signed long-term, the team agrees with the PFWA that these guys are tops in the league. If the Browns are to be successful next season they will need to surround these players with more talent to get there in 2023 and beyond.

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Joel Bitonio named AP First-Team All-Pro, Myles Garrett and Nick Chubb snubbed

The Browns had three players named as All-Pros.

Earlier this week, the players’ All-Pro vote was released and Both left guard Joel Bitonio and defensive end Myles Garrett were named First-Teamers. Now today, the Associated Press has announced their first and second-team All-Pro nods, and Bitonio was once again named as the First-Team All-Pro left guard. Garrett, on the other hand, was snubbed as he was named to the Second-Team behind Nick Bosa of the San Francisco 49ers and Micah Parsons of the Dallas Cowboys. Nick Chubb was also named a Second-Team All-Pro for the Browns in 2022.

All-in-all, for such a disappointing season, having three players named All-Pros is a pretty significant number. Hopefully, with a new defensive coordinator, the Browns can get back on track and make the postseason in 2023.

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