Near the middle of a struggling season in 2021, Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry extended both of his guards, Wyatt Teller and Joel Bitonio. The deals were done a day apart but represented a focus on paying players what they deserve especially at a very stable position.
Both Bitonio and Teller were named All-Pros last year and both were voted as part of the NFL’s top 100 players this offseason.
The longer-tenured Bitonio’s contract averages $16 million a year while Teller’s comes in a little over $14 million. Over $30 million tied up in guard play may seem like a lot but the two deserve it.
Now, before the start of the 2022 regular season for most teams, came a contract that dwarfs both of the ones signed in Cleveland less than a year ago. The Indianapolis Colts gave their left guard, Quenton Nelson, a four-year deal worth an average of $20 million a season.
Nelson’s deal falls just short of the overall value of Zack Martin’s at the position but Martin was signed for six seasons. Joe Thuney also has an $80 million contract but his is over five seasons.
The Colts gave Nelson $3.5 million more per season than the next highest-paid guard, Brandon Scherff, and $4 million more per year than Bitonio is making.
While the $30 million combined between Bitonio and Teller seems like a lot, the $20 million given to Nelson alone on a yearly basis puts it into perspective. As always, getting contracts done earlier rather than later pays off for Browns GM Andrew Berry.
