The Browns don’t know who their starting quarterback will be when they face the Bengals at home in Week One, but veteran left guard Joel Bitonio says that one thing will be the same regardless of whether Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, or Shedeur Sanders is under center.
Bitonio said that the move to Tommy Rees as offensive coordinator has led to a schematic change that “feels like a 2020, 2021 install.” Those were head coach Kevin Stefanski’s first two seasons in Cleveland and Bitonio said the emphasis on “ball control” in those years has made a return after things got off track on the way to a 3-14 record in 2024.
“Overall, I think we just had the wrong mentality, and I think Coach Stefanski has already stressed the toughness that we need to bring back, how practice is going to be,” Bitonio said, via Zac Jackson of TheAthletic.com. “I think rookie minicamp and the OTAs have already kind of picked up that tempo. We’re not resting on any laurels of playoffs or anything like that. It’s a new team, and we have to establish our standard and what we want the Browns to be.”
Bitonio is not the only experienced offensive lineman in Cleveland and having veterans up front should help the bid to establish a tougher identity up front. The running back group is a little greener with rookies Quinshon Judkins and Dylan Sampson behind Jerome Ford, but they should start putting on some miles right away if the Browns stick to their offseason plans.
