Joel Bitonio Says Cleveland Browns Had 'Wrong Offensive Mentality' in 2024

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Joel Bitonio Says Cleveland Browns Had 'Wrong Offensive Mentality' in 2024 originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

There are a lot of questions surrounding the Cleveland Browns' offense headed into 2025. For starters, the team doesn't know who will start at quarterback.

There are four options, two veterans and two rookies, for the Browns. Veterans Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett, and rookies Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders. It seems to be a tossup as to which of the four will be under center Week One.

Longtime Browns' left guard Joel Bitonio has high hopes for the offense no matter who is under center. Bitonio said that the move to Tommy Rees as an offensive coordinator has led to a schematic change that feels similar to a 2020 and 2021 install, head coach Kevin Stafanski's first two seasons in Cleveland. Bitonio elaborated, stating that the emphasis on "ball control" in those seasons has made a return.

“For an O-line, if you drop back to throw 40, 50, 60 times a game, (that’s difficult),” Bitonio said. “That’s still going to happen. You still have to pass the ball to win in this league. But if you can have a brand (that says), ‘We’re going to take care of the football,’ and I think the way we won in the past is our defense was fresh, that can work.

Bitonio continued, saying that what the Browns have implemented in camp is what has made Stefanski successful as a head coach, taking care of the football and keeping the defense fresh.

“The games that (the defense) played great, they played 50 or 60 snaps, not 70 or 80 snaps a game. And so if we can control the ball and handle those things, I think it’s a big step. From the installs and from what I’ve seen, it’s going back to what Coach Stefanski has been known for.”

With Stefan's returning as the play caller with a new offensive coordinator in Rees and a new offensive line coach in Mike Bloomgren, Bitonio thinks the Browns can get off on the right foot in 2025 after a 3-14 2024.

“Overall, I think we just had the wrong mentality, and I think Coach Stefanski has already stressed the toughness that we need to bring back, how practice is going to be,” Bitonio said. “I think rookie minicamp and the OTAs have already kind of picked up that tempo. We’re not resting on any laurels of playoffs or anything like that. It’s a new team, and we have to establish our standard and what we want the Browns to be.”

Related: 'I'm Gonna Win This Job!' Browns' Joe Flacco Oozes Confidence at OTAs

Related: Ex Flacco Teammate Goes Off on Browns QB's Remarks

This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 4, 2025, where it first appeared.



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