The Browns locked up their offensive guard duo this week for the next 3+ years. On Tuesday they reached an agreement with right guard Wyatt Teller on a four-year, $56.8 million dollar contract extension which includes $28 million guaranteed. Then on Wednesday they followed that up by signing left guard Joel Bitonio to a three-year extension worth close to $48 million.
The 26-year old Teller was one of the top rated guards in the NFL last season and has continued his punishing blocking in 2021 with Cleveland. He was acquired in August of 2019 from the Buffalo Bills in exchange for a 5th & 6th round pick in the 2020 draft. The deal has turned out to be a steal for the Browns. His tenacious, physical style has lead to a PFF run blocking grade that ranks him second in the league since the start of the 2020 season. This extension will keep Teller in Cleveland through 2025.
Locking up the longest tenured Cleveland Brown in Joel Bitonio was a no brainer. The 30-year old is a perennial All-Pro who has started 103 career games in Cleveland while making the Pro-Bowl team three times in his eight seasons. Bitonio is hoping to stay in Cleveland his entire career:
"I saw Joe Thomas end his career here. It's something when you get into year 8 or 9, it gets in the back of your mind where it would be really special to be in Cleveland your whole career and try to win a championship with these guys."
The Browns entire offensive line is now under contract through 2022 when center J.C. Tretter becomes an unrestricted free agent and is not expected to be retained. 2020 5th round pick Nick Harris is waiting in the wings at the center position. Left tackle Jedrick Wills is still playing on his rookie contract which runs through the 2023 season. Right tackle Jack Conklin could be a casualty at some point with all of the money now tied up at the guard position and a Wills extension on the horizon in the next year or so.
That now leaves Denzel Ward and Baker Mayfield as the two key remaining players on rookie contracts who need to be extended. There is talk that Andrew Berry has been negotiating with Ward's representatives and something could get done sooner rather than later.
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