Long-time Browns offensive lineman Joel Bitonio announced his retirement on Tuesday, after 12 NFL seasons — all in Cleveland. And, as Bitonio recounted some of the things he learned from various veterans over the years, he mentioned one specific teammate who got to town when Bitonio did.
“I was drafted the same year as Johnny Manziel,” Bitonio said. “And we actually roomed together. I learned some things not to do from him.”
It’s funny now. It wasn’t at the time. The Browns ultimately wasted a first-round pick on a player who never took his job seriously. He was released after only two seasons, with eight starts and a 2-6 record.
Bitonio, a second-round pick in 2014, made it a decade longer. He appeared in and started 178 regular-season games, with seven Pro Bowls, three years as a second-team All-Pro, and two as a first-earn All-Pro.
The Steelers doubled up on veteran additions to their roster on Thursday.
In addition to signing tight end Robert Tonyan, they announced that they have signed linebacker Jamin Davis to their 90-man roster. Both players took part in this week’s minicamp on a tryout basis.
Davis had three tackles in two games for the Raiders last season. Their defensive coordinator Patrick Graham now has the same job on Mike McCarthy’s staff in Pittsburgh.
Davis appeared in 54 games for Washington and Minnesota before moving to the Raiders. He had 287 tackles, eight sacks, an interception, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in that action.
The Steelers also announced that they have waived tight end Chamon Metayer.
There may be a reunion in Kansas City.
Veteran cornerback L’Jarius Sneed is visiting with the Chiefs on Thursday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports.
Sneed, 29, played his first four seasons with the Chiefs before they traded him to Tennessee in the 2024 offseason. Sneed was instrumental in helping Kansas City win back-to-back Super Bowls in 2022 and 2023.
But his two seasons with Tennessee were marred by injury, as Sneed played just 12 games over the last two years. He was on the field for seven contests in 2025, recording 26 total tackles with three passes defensed.
The Chiefs have to replace two starting corners for 2026, as Trent McDuffie was traded to the Rams and Jaylen Watson followed him to Los Angeles in free agency.
In his 69 career games with 66 starts, Sneed has tallied 10 picks with 43 passes defensed, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and 6.5 sacks.
Russell Wilson announced on Wednesday that he will be retiring from the NFL to join CBS’ The NFL Today for the 2026 season and the network confirmed the move on Thursday.
CBS announced that former Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long will also be joining the show as an analyst. Long and Wilson will join James Brown, Bill Cowher and Nate Burleson on the Sunday pregame show.
“Throughout his career, Russell Wilson has been a winner, both on and off the field. We’re thrilled to add a Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks to our roster,” CBS Sports executive vice president Harold Bryant said in a statement. “Russell’s preparation and leadership set him apart and we look forward to the perspective and insight he will bring to the studio straight from the field. Kyle brings an infectious energy, relentless passion and deep knowledge of the game and is not shy about sharing his opinions. He has earned this opportunity and we’re proud to elevate him to a full-time role on The NFL Today. We’re excited for this new team at the desk to kick off NFL Sundays on CBS.”
Long last played in the NFL in 2019 and has worked for CBS since 2020.
The recent federal LM-2 filing from the NFL Players Association including a stunning revelation regarding Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders. In his first year in pro football, Shedeur earned $17.7 million in royalty payments.
In an interview with Front Office Sports, Colorado coach Deion Sanders (who also is Shedeur’s dad) addressed the record-setting number.
“I don’t know if people really dug into that,” Deion said, explaining that the payment wasn’t the result of jersey sales.
So if it wasn’t jersey sales, what drove the number?
“A tremendous deal with the NFLPA,” Deion said. “A tremendous deal.”
Deion previously mentioned “licensing” and “cards.” Some believe the number was largely driven by a trading-card deal negotiated before Shedeur fell to round five in the 2025 draft.
Regardless, Shedeur shattered Tom Brady’s prior one-year record of $9.5 million, establishing a new bar that will not be easy to catch.
