6 Browns most likely to make the Pro Bowl in 2023
By Randy Gurzi
4. Joel Bitonio, G
After years of complaints about how boring the Pro Bowl is, the NFL responded by bringing in a skills competition. There were some issues, which included Myles Garrett suffering a dislocated toe during the "gridiron gauntlet'. But there was some fun to be had as well, which is where Joel Bitonio comes in.
The All-Pro Cleveland guard showed off some soft hands when he caught passes from the Jugs machine and then showed out in the water balloon challenge. If that wasn't enough, he also fielded punts with just one hand.
While it was excellent to see Bitonio having so much fun at the event, he's not going to be brought back for his catching ability. Instead, he's likely headed for a sixth Pro Bowl due to the fact that he's one of the best (and most consistent) offensive linemen in the entire NFL.
Bitonio earned a top-five grade from PFF three years in a row from 2020 through 2022. As of now, he has his lowest career grade (65.7) and is just 25th. However, that feels incredibly low compared to what he's brought to the Browns offense.
Even with Nick Chubb suffering a knee injury in Week 2, Cleveland is second in the NFL with 1,040 yards on the ground. They have four players with more than 100 yards while Jerome Ford leads the way with 381 yards. Much of that damage has come when running behind No. 75, who is a mauler in the run game. That's the primary reason he's likely to be named to Pro Bowl No. 6.