Good things haven’t come often for the Cleveland Browns over the last year, but they did receive some very welcomed news on Wednesday.

When the 2024 season ended, longtime Browns LG Joel Bitonio said he would take some time to decide on his playing future. After taking a couple of months to think about it, Bitonio has made his decision clear.

The Browns will have their longest-tenured player back in 2025 for season No. 12 with the team. Bitonio is still a very good offensive lineman and he is not quite ready to hang it up yet.

A decision was always coming soon for Bitonio, who is due a $3 million roster bonus on March 15th. Expect the Browns to potentially convert that into a signing bonus to create some cap space for the team. Bitonio played 1,177 offensive snaps in 2024, which is the most he’s recorded in a single season as a professional.

Bitonio has been a gem of a pick since the Browns selected him out of Nevada in the second round of the 2014 NFL Draft. Since then, Bitonio has been named an All-Pro five times and a Pro Bowler seven times. Bitonio’s 161 starts are the second most behind only Joe Thomas since the team returned in 1999.

Cleveland now has one less thing to worry about in free agency with Bitonio back. If the Browns were to lose Bitonio to retirement, they wouldn’t have a surefire starter to replace him on the roster. Cleveland likely would have had to spend in free agency, make a trade, or draft one high. Now, all the Browns have to focus on is finding his successor. Second-year G Zak Zinter can eventually be that player for the team, though he isn’t just yet.

The Browns are likely to bring in a rookie quarterback and having the best front possible is key. Having a leader like Bitonio in the huddle is a huge benefit to a rookie. Cleveland’s All-Pro left guard has given up just nine sacks total in the last five seasons.

There wasn’t always a ton of optimism that Bitonio would be returning. Now that it is known that he is, the Browns have one worry off their plate.