Browns fans know very well how great left guard Joel Bitonio has played in his five seasons in Cleveland. It seems the burly Browns captain is getting more national attention for his outstanding performance along the offensive line.
In his latest positional ranking series, Touchdown Wire’s Doug Farrar pegged Bitonio as the No. 5 guard in the NFL. This comes after a season in which he allowed just one sack and only 13 QB pressures despite the midseason changes at coach and quarterback.
His combination of brawn and brains impressed Farrar:
Cleveland’s left guard proved highly effective even when Mayfield went outside of structure — he can wrestle larger defenders to a draw with his root strength, and he kick-steps as well as your average left tackle. Agile and smart enough to handle line stunts and hit the second level with authority, Bitonio has become a blue-chip player at his position.
Bitonio ranks one spot above former linemate Kevin Zeitler, who is now with the New York Giants. Looks like GM John Dorsey kept the proper player.
