Joel Bitonio, Browns
Getty
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns.
The Cleveland Browns have a long history of protracted relationships with elite offensive linemen, and guard Joel Bitonio is the most recent player on that list.
Bitonio has spent his entire 12-year career in Cleveland, earning Pro-Bowl honors in each of the past seven seasons and All-Pro honors, either first-team or second-team, five years in a row between 2018-2022.
And while Bitonio remains excellent, evident by his quality play in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Cleveland isn’t tracking as a playoff team given the difficulty of its schedule and the talent elsewhere across the AFC.
Instead, the Browns are in the midst of a youth movement led by rookie linebacker Carson Schwesinger and rookie defensive tackle Mason Graham along with rookie running backs Dylan Sampson and Quinshon Judkins and rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. — all of whom were impressive in their NFL debuts last Sunday, save for Judkins who did not play.
Cleveland also has two rookie signal-callers on the roster in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, one of whom could end up becoming the franchise quarterback. And if that doesn’t happen, the team has two first-round picks (its own and that of the Jacksonville Jaguars) to potentially use/combine in an effort to draft a high-ranking QB in the 2026 draft class.
All of that is to say that Bitonio’s timeline in his age-34 season doesn’t appear to fit with what the Browns are doing. As such, he could have tremendous trade value ahead of the November deadline to a team like the Detroit Lions — a Super Bowl contender the last two years that appears to have taken a step back after losing two starting offensive linemen over the offseason.
Lions Badly Need Offensive Line Upgrade, Have Appropriate Motivation to Spend in Trade for Joel Bitonio
Joel Bitonio, Browns
GettyLeft guard Joel Bitonio of the Cleveland Browns.
Detroit watched center Frank Ragnow retire in early summer, while guard Kevin Zeitler left in free agency for the Tennessee Titans.
The Lions, last year’s No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs, still have a window if they can improve on the interior of the offensive line and potentially add more to the edge rush alongside Aidan Hutchinson.
Given his age, Bitonio isn’t likely to command a draft pick in the early rounds. However, Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report suggested on Friday, September 12, that he could be worth a fourth-rounder and rookie wideout Dominic Lovett in a potential deal with Detroit.
Rookie second-round pick Tate Ratledge is in at right guard and will likely be given time to develop. However, Detroit may want to consider replacing left guard Christian Mahogany, who was graded 64th among 78 guards in pass blocking last week by Pro Football Focus.
If the Browns are willing to sell off good players in anticipation of a full-on rebuild, the Lions should see if guard Joel Bitonio is available. … A player of Bitonio’s caliber would usually cost more than a high Day 3 selection and a rookie seventh-round draft pick. However, Cleveland badly needs receiver depth, and Bitonio is an impending 2026 free agent who could potentially retire after this season.
Browns Should Not Trade Joel Bitonio Just Yet
Browns veteran guard Joel Bitonio.
GettyCleveland Browns offensive guard Joel Bitonio.
Lovett is something of a stretch as a player the Browns might desire.
The Lions considered parting ways with him before the season and played him on just three special teams snaps in Week 1. Even if Detroit threw him into a deal for Bitonio and the Browns were willing to take the flier, Cleveland wouldn’t likely consider Lovett much value added.
As such, the Browns could look to push Bitonio’s value into the range of a third-round asset, which is reasonable given how excellent he still is. And if Bitonio wants a Super Bowl ring badly enough before he retires, the Lions may be able to convince him to stick around for a couple more seasons.
There is no reason for the Browns to deal Bitonio now. The more Detroit’s offensive line struggles and the better Bitonio plays, the more value he should amass. Also, Cleveland still has legitimate hopes of being competitive this year after a surprisingly well-played opener last weekend.
However, if the Browns falter over the next few games, Bitonio starts to make considerable sense as a trade chip that can help the team acquire draft capital for a rebuild that already started during the 2025 offseason.