Joel Bitonio, Browns Agree on Contract Extension

The Cleveland Browns and guard Joel Bitonio have agreed to a contract extension, the Browns announced Thursday.

Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal first reported the news.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported the six-year contract will pay up to $51.2 million with $23.7 million guaranteed.

Bitonio has been the team's starter for his first three seasons, starting 31 games, though he's missed 17 games over the past two seasons.

"He's one of [the] best guards in football," offensive tackle Joe Thomas said when Bitonio was lost for the season last October, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "Not easily replaced."

The former second-round pick in 2014 was one of the few picks the Browns seemed to get right in the 2014 NFL draft after first-rounders Justin Gilbert and Johnny Manziel didn't pan out. He'll continue to be one of the foundational pieces on an offensive line that should be improved in 2017, with the team expected to sign center JC Tretter as well, per Mike Garafolo of NFL.com.

As Ian Kenyon of Bleacher Report noted, the Browns are building a solid interior to their offensive line:

Tretter should be an upgrade for the team, as Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus tweeted:

While the Browns have a lot of work to do to improve after last year's 1-15 debacle, a healthy Bitonio and Tretter are a solid start.