Bills Urged to Add Proven Veteran to Stabilize Offensive Line
The Buffalo Bills struggled to protect quarterback Josh Allen throughout the 2025 NFL season. The Bills allowed 40 sacks, which was the 14th most of any team in the league. Despite that, they still went 12-5 and made a playoff appearance.
After losing to the Denver Broncos in the Divisional Round, Buffalo has used the offseason to improve its pass protection. In free agency, the Bills signed centers Lloyd Cushenberry and Austin Corbett. During the 2026 NFL Draft, they also selected offensive tackle Jude Bowry (No. 102) and offensive guard Ar'maj Reed-Adams (No. 241).
However, ESPN's Aaron Schatz writes that guard is still one of the team's biggest weaknesses. To fix that, he urges the Bills to sign free agent Joel Bitonio.
"If the Bills want to add one more veteran free agent who can play left guard, a great option would be Joel Bitonio, who spent his entire career in Cleveland and might be willing to sign for less money with an opportunity to pursue a Super Bowl title in Buffalo," Schatz wrote.
Bitonio is a free agent after spending the last 12 seasons with the Browns. He started all 17 games, accumulating 1,081 offensive snaps, allowing just two sacks and committing one penalty. His pass-blocking grade of 75.7, per Pro Football Focus, ranked eighth among 81 qualified guards.
As a second-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, he has become one of the most consistent offensive linemen in the NFL. From 2018 to 2024, Bitonio earned seven straight Pro Bowl appearances and was named First-Team All-Pro twice (2021 and 2022).
Under first-year head coach Joe Brady, protecting Allen is a top priority. Bitonio is projected to sign a one-year, $12.9 million contract, according to Spotrac. That would make him a low-risk signing for the Bills, who have just $10.6 million in cap space.
Related: Patrick Mahomes Sends Message to Chiefs Teammate After Marriage Announcement
Copyright 2026 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published May 11, 2026 at 2:54 PM.