Former Browns Star Would Help Solidify Panthers Offense in Free Agency

The Carolina Panthers brought back every single member of their offensive line from 2024 to 2025. Plenty of them played, as injuries forced them into double-digit combinations of linemen during the year.

But in 2026, that continuity is gone. Just three of the current offensive linemen on the healthy roster were with the team in 2025: Robert Hunt, Damien Lewis, and Taylor Moton.

Ikem Ekwonu's hurt. Cade Mays is gone. Yosh Nijman retired. The rest, including Austin Corbett and Brady Christensen, are still on the open market. Those players could be re-signed, but if Carolina was going to, they'd have re-signed the free agents by now.

Continuity is gone, and so is depth. In lieu of bringing back Christensen (ideal) or Corbett (less ideal), there's one former Cleveland Browns star who'd make a perfect depth addition to the interior.

Panthers should sign Joel Bitonio to fix offensive line depth

Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio (75) at Huntington Bank Field. | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

The Panthers don't have a real shot at continuity, which means forcing a reunion with either Austin Corbett or Brady Christensen doesn't have to be the path they take. It might be cheaper, but it might also be worse for the unit.

Joel Bitonio, however, would likely be an improvement over both and provide valuable depth for the interior, especially with how banged-up Robert Hunt was in 2025. It's not a luxury, it's a necessity at this point.

Bitonio does have a steep price tag estimation of $12 million annually, but at this point, we can expect that it, like the Rasheed Walker contract, will be much lower than expected. The Panthers have very little money, but they can get creative.

Bleacher Report's Gary Davenport said that the former Browns lineman is the best interior blocker on the market, so he'd be a worthy addition to this Panthers' front that likes to run the ball and needs to protect Bryce Young.

"From 2018 to 2024, he was named to seven consecutive Pro Bowls. That streak ended last season, but he still played at a high level—per Pro Football Focus, he allowed just two sacks and committed a single penalty over 1,081 snaps, and he graded out as one of the best pass-protecting guards in the league," Davenport said.

Cleveland Browns guard Joel Bitonio (75) during training camp | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Bitonio could retire, but if he decides to play, a one-year contract with a team-friendly salary would be a home run from the Panthers' front office.

Davenport finished by saying, "Bitonio has also been mostly durable over his career. Since missing most of the 2016 season with an injured foot, he has missed just two contests over the last nine seasons combined."

That could be key, especially with how many offensive line injuries the Panthers sustained last year. Bitonio would be a backup, but he'd likely end up playing plenty throughout the year.