Entering his 11th season in the league, Joel Bitonio is the longest-tenured player on the Cleveland Browns roster. Selected in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft out of Nevada, he's been a starter since he arrived.
Bitonio has also been wildly durable. He did miss six games in his second season and 11 in 2016 but he then went six years in a row without missing a start. That streak was snapped when he missed the Browns win over San Francisco but he's still been one of the most reliable players on the team.
His recognition reaches beyond the Cleveland fan base with Bitonio making the Pro Bowl in each of the past six seasons. Throw in his five All-Pro nods and it's easy to see why he was selected to The 33rd Team's top 20 players north of 30.
Bitonio signed a three-year extension in 2021, which paid him $48 million and locked him up through the 2024 campaign. When the deal was announced, the front office called him the "Personification’ of Cleveland Browns mantra."
As nice as it is to see Bitonio make the list, it's worth noting that the Browns didn't have any player on the top 25 under 25 list released earlier this month. This is in line with another claim this offseason that Cleveland is in their Super Bowl window but their time to cash in could be short.
General manager Andrew Berry has used draft picks to fill the roster with experienced veterans which has expedited their progress. The only concern will be whether or not they can replace the aging veterans with young talent and still have success.
