Cleveland Browns bye week report cards: Offensive line

LG Joel Bitonio: A

Joel Bitonio has been one of the most underrated linemen in the league since his rookie year in 2014, and he’s currently having one of the best seasons of his career. He’s a steady presence on the interior, and hopefully he’ll finally be recognized with an All-Pro selection at season’s end. That six-year $51 million contract he signed in 2017 looks like a bargain now, and while Bitonio may not be a first-ballot Hall of Famer like Joe Thomas, he’s a worthy successor to Thomas as the leader of the line, and one area where he does have Thomas beat is in the beard department.

C J.C. Tretter: A

Another player who deserves far more recognition is J.C. Tretter, who has not missed a snap with the Browns and is one of, if not the toughest players in the NFL. He’s terrific in pass protection and Kevin Stefanski’s system has proven to be a great fit for Tretter, as his run blocking has improved. The Brown chose Nick Harris in the fifth round of this past draft to eventually replace Tretter, but it will be a while before that happens.

Tretter has yet to even make a Pro Bowl, despite being one of the league’s very best centers since joining the Browns in 2017. That needs to change this year. The Pro Bowl may be a glorified popularity contest at this point, but there are still contract escalators that are tied to Pro Bowl selections. It’s unlikely Teller has any of those, but there’s just no excuse for him not to get the recognition and appreciation he deserves.