Kevin Zeitler Signs Contract with Cleveland Browns

After playing his first five years with the Cincinnati Bengals, Kevin Zeitler will suit up for the Cleveland Browns in 2017. 

The Browns announced the deal on Friday.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported Zeitler was signing with the Browns on Thursday, adding it will make him the NFL's highest paid guard. NFL Network's Mike Garafolo confirmed Zeitler was going to Cleveland. 

The Bengals selected Zeitler with the 27th overall pick in the 2012 draft, and he quickly became an integral member of Cincinnati's offensive line. His consistency has been vital to a unit that has suffered numerous injuries and personnel losses in recent years.

Zeitler continued to play well in 2016 despite the Bengals finishing 14th in adjusted line yards and 26th in adjusted sack rate, per Football Outsiders. Pro Football Focus graded Zeitler as the seventh-best offensive guard (87.1), and the site rated him the best guard on the free-agent market, edging out the duo of T.J. Lang and Andrew Norwell (85.7).

Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported Zeitler was a hot commodity this offseason:

Bleacher Report's Jason Cole and Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson tweeted he was almost certainly going to receive a significant pay raise:

Despite Zeitler's importance to the team, the Cincinnati Enquirer's Paul Dehner Jr. wrote in February the Bengals were unlikely to make re-signing him a priority since offensive tackle Andrew Whitworth is a free agent as well.

According to Spotrac, the team has a little over $41 million in salary cap space. While that allows Cincinnati to retain a few of its key free agents, the team will have to make difficult decisions about which veterans it's prepared to let walk.

Many will likely argue keeping Whitworth is the wrong decision since it came at the cost of losing Zeitler. While Whitworth plays a more vital position, he turned 35 in December. Zeitler, on the other hand, is in the prime of his career so will thus have more long-term value.

Replacing Whitworth wouldn't have been easy this offseason, but it's something the Bengals will have to do anyway in the next few years whether Zeitler stayed or left.

The Bengals' loss is Cleveland's gain. Barring injury, there's little reason to expect Zeitler not to provide a full return on their investment. Zeitler's lack of a Pro Bowl appearance in his first six years isn't indicative of his talent level.

The Browns are taking steps to secure their offensive line. They extended guard Joel Bitonio to a six-year contract worth $51.2 million, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. 

With Cleveland's offensive line taking shape, quarterback remains the big question mark. The Browns have options in free agency or can choose to draft one of the available options with the No. 1 overall pick in April. 

Zeitler is one of the NFL's best guards, and now he's being paid like it for a Browns team trying to build some forward momentum in 2017.