2 months ago
Browns' Shedeur Sanders warned by Bitonio as Watson grip on QB1 looks shaky originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
A slow release, not a weak arm, is the flaw scouts and teammates keep circling back to on Shedeur Sanders, and it may decide whether the Cleveland Browns ever hand him the keys this season.
The quarterback climbed a clear rung between his first and second preseasons, yet the habit that hurt him as a rookie followed him into 2026: he waits a beat too long, then trusts a receiver to spring loose rather than firing on rhythm.
Retired guard Joel Bitonio, who protected Sanders as a rookie, put a number on the problem. "As a lineman, it sucks, but if you're taking over three seconds to throw in the league, like, I don't care if you have five Joe Thomases in front of you. It is tough to handle," he said on the Bearded Browns podcast.
Bitonio walked away in June after 12 years in Cleveland, collecting eight Pro Bowl trips and seven All-Pro honors, so his read carries weight.
#bitonio #sporting #watson #preferred
A slow release, not a weak arm, is the flaw scouts and teammates keep circling back to on Shedeur Sanders, and it may decide whether the Cleveland Browns ever hand him the keys this season.
The quarterback climbed a clear rung between his first and second preseasons, yet the habit that hurt him as a rookie followed him into 2026: he waits a beat too long, then trusts a receiver to spring loose rather than firing on rhythm.
Retired guard Joel Bitonio, who protected Sanders as a rookie, put a number on the problem. "As a lineman, it sucks, but if you're taking over three seconds to throw in the league, like, I don't care if you have five Joe Thomases in front of you. It is tough to handle," he said on the Bearded Browns podcast.
Bitonio walked away in June after 12 years in Cleveland, collecting eight Pro Bowl trips and seven All-Pro honors, so his read carries weight.
#bitonio #sporting #watson #preferred
2 months ago
There are a lot of things to say when talking about the Cleveland Browns.
Very old fans can reminisce about how the franchise was once one of the league's dynasties, led by the father of the modern NFL in head coach Paul Brown. But with their last NFL championship coming in 1964, those memories grow dimmer every year.
Those of us who are old, but not that old, can share tales of the teams of the 1980s, perennial playoff participants that reached the cusp of the Super Bowl three times under the franchise's last great head coach in Marty Schottenheimer and everyone's favorite quarterback in Bernie Kosar.
For today's fans, those teams may as well have played in the leather helmet era; it was so long ago. And while they have been able to cheer for some of the franchise's most legendary players like Joe Thomas, Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett, and Joel Bitonio, that has not always been a comfort once the game ended on another lost Sunday afternoon.
That is because, of all the things one could say about the Browns, the one thing they have not been able to say much since 1999 is that the team plays winning football.
#head
Very old fans can reminisce about how the franchise was once one of the league's dynasties, led by the father of the modern NFL in head coach Paul Brown. But with their last NFL championship coming in 1964, those memories grow dimmer every year.
Those of us who are old, but not that old, can share tales of the teams of the 1980s, perennial playoff participants that reached the cusp of the Super Bowl three times under the franchise's last great head coach in Marty Schottenheimer and everyone's favorite quarterback in Bernie Kosar.
For today's fans, those teams may as well have played in the leather helmet era; it was so long ago. And while they have been able to cheer for some of the franchise's most legendary players like Joe Thomas, Nick Chubb, Myles Garrett, and Joel Bitonio, that has not always been a comfort once the game ended on another lost Sunday afternoon.
That is because, of all the things one could say about the Browns, the one thing they have not been able to say much since 1999 is that the team plays winning football.
#head
3 months ago
Indianapolis Colts left guard Quenton Nelson has some leverage as he approaches a payday.
Pro Football Focus ranked Nelson No. 6 among the 10 highest-graded NFL players going into contract years in 2026, giving the eight-time Pro Bowler an 85.5 grade for his work last season.
"He is a beacon of quality and consistency along the offensive interior," PFF's Daire Carragher wrote.
PFF noted that Nelson's play dipped from 2021 through 2023 before he returned to elite play over the past two seasons.
He posted grades of 84.7 and 85.5 during that span and has logged 8,643 interior offensive line snaps since entering the league in 2018. Only Joel Bitonio and Joe Thuney have played more over that stretch, according to PFF.
#offensive #indianapolis #focus #bowler
Pro Football Focus ranked Nelson No. 6 among the 10 highest-graded NFL players going into contract years in 2026, giving the eight-time Pro Bowler an 85.5 grade for his work last season.
"He is a beacon of quality and consistency along the offensive interior," PFF's Daire Carragher wrote.
PFF noted that Nelson's play dipped from 2021 through 2023 before he returned to elite play over the past two seasons.
He posted grades of 84.7 and 85.5 during that span and has logged 8,643 interior offensive line snaps since entering the league in 2018. Only Joel Bitonio and Joe Thuney have played more over that stretch, according to PFF.
#offensive #indianapolis #focus #bowler
3 months ago
Have more comments, questions? Reach out to me at bwhite1dispatch.com. Letters are lightly edited for clarity.
To the editor: OSU is adding a JPMorgan Chase logo patch to all 36 varsity sport teams uniforms. The football team uniforms will also have a Nike logo and a Big Ten patch. In couple more years the uniforms will look like NASCAR driver suits. What next, naming rights for the team benches and medic tents? How about all the team support staff and managers having patches like the NASCAR pit crews? Next, they can add bus wraps for home and away rental busses with all kinds of additional sponsorships. Finally, we can start to add patches all over the uniforms of TBDBITL. Is the day very far away when the players and coaches will have to wear custom gear anytime they are on campus? The quest to grab more money to buy more players and build bigger facilities is beyond the pale.
Raymond D'Angelo, Westerville
To Raymond: If that's what it takes to pay the next Jeremiah Smith, I wouldn't put it past them. And neither would most of their fans.
Dear Brian: One thing became very clear after LeBron James announced his intent to take his talents (less than what they used to be) to Philadelphia: He never had any loyalty to the city, fan base or organization in Cleveland — a fan base that revered him, one that hoped he'd sign with the Cavs and end his career on a fairy tale note with one last hope of another championship. It was not to be. It was James' right to sign anywhere he wanted, no questioning that, but he was never the King of Cleveland, not even close. Yes, he helped bring a long-awaited championship to the city of Cleveland, and for that I am ever grateful! The Indians should have in 1997, but that is another story. It's apparent James didn't revere Cleveland as much as we would have liked to think. Remember him yelling "This is for you, Cleveland" after the Game 7 Finals victory in 2016? I think that was more about redemption for himself after he bungled the first free agency decision than about Cleveland ending its 52-year championship drought. The true face of Cleveland is Jose Ramirez. No doubt about it, not even close. The future Hall of Famer has shown his love for the city, the fans and the organization time and time again, signing extensions for less than what he could get on the open market. One could argue Joe Thomas and even Joel Bitonio are better representations of Cleveland than LeBron ever was. I'll always be grateful for the 2016 championship, but leave LeBron out of the King of Cleveland discussions.
#cleveland #lebron #next
To the editor: OSU is adding a JPMorgan Chase logo patch to all 36 varsity sport teams uniforms. The football team uniforms will also have a Nike logo and a Big Ten patch. In couple more years the uniforms will look like NASCAR driver suits. What next, naming rights for the team benches and medic tents? How about all the team support staff and managers having patches like the NASCAR pit crews? Next, they can add bus wraps for home and away rental busses with all kinds of additional sponsorships. Finally, we can start to add patches all over the uniforms of TBDBITL. Is the day very far away when the players and coaches will have to wear custom gear anytime they are on campus? The quest to grab more money to buy more players and build bigger facilities is beyond the pale.
Raymond D'Angelo, Westerville
To Raymond: If that's what it takes to pay the next Jeremiah Smith, I wouldn't put it past them. And neither would most of their fans.
Dear Brian: One thing became very clear after LeBron James announced his intent to take his talents (less than what they used to be) to Philadelphia: He never had any loyalty to the city, fan base or organization in Cleveland — a fan base that revered him, one that hoped he'd sign with the Cavs and end his career on a fairy tale note with one last hope of another championship. It was not to be. It was James' right to sign anywhere he wanted, no questioning that, but he was never the King of Cleveland, not even close. Yes, he helped bring a long-awaited championship to the city of Cleveland, and for that I am ever grateful! The Indians should have in 1997, but that is another story. It's apparent James didn't revere Cleveland as much as we would have liked to think. Remember him yelling "This is for you, Cleveland" after the Game 7 Finals victory in 2016? I think that was more about redemption for himself after he bungled the first free agency decision than about Cleveland ending its 52-year championship drought. The true face of Cleveland is Jose Ramirez. No doubt about it, not even close. The future Hall of Famer has shown his love for the city, the fans and the organization time and time again, signing extensions for less than what he could get on the open market. One could argue Joe Thomas and even Joel Bitonio are better representations of Cleveland than LeBron ever was. I'll always be grateful for the 2016 championship, but leave LeBron out of the King of Cleveland discussions.
#cleveland #lebron #next
3 months ago
After finishing the season 5-12, the 2025 Cleveland Browns struggled to find an identity. With three different quarterbacks starting over the course of the season and inconsistent offensive play throughout, the team often appeared to lack a clear direction. The team had reached a point where meaningful changes were necessary to shake things up.
Going into the 2026 season, one of the biggest changes the team made was bringing in new head coach Todd Monken. Regardless of who returns to the field, the team will have a different look under its new leadership. While there is still uncertainty at quarterback, Shedeur Sanders is returning with a year of experience under his belt, and Deshaun Watson is returning from injury.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry also invested heavily in the offensive line all offseason, while long standing veterans Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and David Njoku are no longer on the team.
The young players like Carson Schwesinger and Harold Fannin Jr., who had really impressive rookie seasons, have a great opportunity to build on what they did in 2025. Additionally, the Browns' 2026 draft class impressed many and brings another level of potential to what this team can be.
Both seasons come with plenty of uncertainty, but the 2026 roster has a clearer vision and more upside, while the 2025 team seemed stuck repeating an approach that had already proven ineffective.
#different
Going into the 2026 season, one of the biggest changes the team made was bringing in new head coach Todd Monken. Regardless of who returns to the field, the team will have a different look under its new leadership. While there is still uncertainty at quarterback, Shedeur Sanders is returning with a year of experience under his belt, and Deshaun Watson is returning from injury.
Cleveland GM Andrew Berry also invested heavily in the offensive line all offseason, while long standing veterans Joel Bitonio, Wyatt Teller, and David Njoku are no longer on the team.
The young players like Carson Schwesinger and Harold Fannin Jr., who had really impressive rookie seasons, have a great opportunity to build on what they did in 2025. Additionally, the Browns' 2026 draft class impressed many and brings another level of potential to what this team can be.
Both seasons come with plenty of uncertainty, but the 2026 roster has a clearer vision and more upside, while the 2025 team seemed stuck repeating an approach that had already proven ineffective.
#different
4 months ago
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NFL. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Browns fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
The most revamped position group in a long time for the Cleveland Browns is this year’s offensive line. Gone are Cam Robinson, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, and Jack Conklin.
We feel pretty confident that Spencer Fano will start at left tackle, Tytus Howard will be at right tackle, and Zion Johnson will be at left guard. The other two positions are up for a debate, with a caveat. Even though two positions are available, Elgton Jenkins is practically guaranteed to fill one of them: the team is just trying to figure out if that will be at center or right guard.
If Jenkins is at center, then that opens up a competition at right guard between Teven Jenkins and KT Leveston. If E. Jenkins is put at right guard, then it could mean a spot for for rookie Parker Brailsford at center.
The names are a bit truncated in the Reacts poll below due to the new polling method we’re using, so I’ll try to keep that in mind for the future. For now, though, tell us which tandem you think is most likely to start at center and right guard for the Browns to begin the 2026 season.
#jenkins #guard #start
The most revamped position group in a long time for the Cleveland Browns is this year’s offensive line. Gone are Cam Robinson, Joel Bitonio, Ethan Pocic, Wyatt Teller, and Jack Conklin.
We feel pretty confident that Spencer Fano will start at left tackle, Tytus Howard will be at right tackle, and Zion Johnson will be at left guard. The other two positions are up for a debate, with a caveat. Even though two positions are available, Elgton Jenkins is practically guaranteed to fill one of them: the team is just trying to figure out if that will be at center or right guard.
If Jenkins is at center, then that opens up a competition at right guard between Teven Jenkins and KT Leveston. If E. Jenkins is put at right guard, then it could mean a spot for for rookie Parker Brailsford at center.
The names are a bit truncated in the Reacts poll below due to the new polling method we’re using, so I’ll try to keep that in mind for the future. For now, though, tell us which tandem you think is most likely to start at center and right guard for the Browns to begin the 2026 season.
#jenkins #guard #start
5 months ago
Among the many contributions Joel Bitonio made during his Browns career was compelling close friend, Pro Football Hall of Famer and fellow Cleveland legend Joe Thomas to purchase a magnetic wand.
Early in Bitonio’s days as an NFL offensive lineman and about a decade before he announced his retirement on June 9, he attended a dinner hosted by Thomas and discovered something surprising when he took a bite of duck Thomas had hunted.
“It was really good, except I did find a bullet in mine, which kind of scared me a little bit. But it was really good,” Bitonio said with a smile in 2022.
Browns column: As Joel Bitonio retires, franchise should offer him special role | Opinion
Thomas told his side of the story as he reflected on Bitonio’s career during a recent phone interview with the Beacon Journal.
Early in Bitonio’s days as an NFL offensive lineman and about a decade before he announced his retirement on June 9, he attended a dinner hosted by Thomas and discovered something surprising when he took a bite of duck Thomas had hunted.
“It was really good, except I did find a bullet in mine, which kind of scared me a little bit. But it was really good,” Bitonio said with a smile in 2022.
Browns column: As Joel Bitonio retires, franchise should offer him special role | Opinion
Thomas told his side of the story as he reflected on Bitonio’s career during a recent phone interview with the Beacon Journal.
