Joel Bitonio’s contract situation has created a massive hole in the Cleveland Browns’ pockets. The saga seems to be the first taste of the challenges that lie ahead for the Cleveland Browns’ head coach, Todd Monken. Following the final decision on the guard’s contract, Monken is now hit with a grim truth that is set to leave a bitter aftertaste.

“Technically, he’s a free agent right now,” said Tony Grossi on ESPN Cleveland via X. “If he comes back to play, those charges on the cap will stand… If he chooses to retire, those charges will stay. Now, the third option, which I totally dismissed this whole story, what about him coming back and playing for another team? He’s a free agent now; he can negotiate, teams can call him and his agent now. I don’t think that’s going to happen, but it’s more of a possibility than a month ago.”

Joel Bitonio has been faithful to the Browns since 2014. The second-round pick was one of the pillars of the offensive line, protecting the quarterback from getting sacked. In fact, he has started every game that he has ever played in, with a 70+ overall PFF grade, even at the age of 35.

In the last 12 seasons, he has earned All-Pro selections and seven Pro Bowl nods, potentially making him a future Hall of Famer. However, after the latest decision by the franchise, Bitonio won’t be returning for his 13th season.

The Browns voided his contract last Wednesday at the start of the new league year. It means that the guard has become an unrestricted free agent. Although 34, he has shown that he can still perform at the highest level.

For Todd Monken, the situation is a harsh introduction to life as the head coach of the Cleveland Browns. In his very first year leading the franchise, Monken may now have to confront the uncomfortable reality that franchise stalwart Joel Bitonio, a player who spent his entire career protecting Cleveland quarterbacks, could soon be lining up on the opposite sideline.

NFL analyst Tony Grossi believes that, unlike before, there is a better possibility of him joining a different franchise. The Las Vegas Raiders had some issues with the O-line, as pointed out by former head coach Pete Carroll. Despite the negligible chances, there is still a possibility he could head there, or to another franchise dealing with offensive line issues.

At the moment, it is unclear what his next move will be. But the move the Browns took left them with $23.5 million in dead cap. Either way, regardless of whether he decides to come back or retire, the financial burden will remain. But that is not the end of the story.

The $23.5 million is just the tip of the iceberg

The fans were always going to be curious about the decision the Browns would take regarding Bitonio. However, voiding the contract seems to have raised more questions. The guard is an unrestricted free agent now.

If another franchise signs him, the Browns will get nothing. On top of that, if the Browns feel they need him back, they can sign him in free agency. But the $23.5 million dead cap still stays. Re-signing him won’t solve this issue.

Surprisingly, the debt was not just from the last season. The Browns restructured his contract over the last three seasons to open up cap space. Currently, the Browns rank fourth in dead cap, with the value exceeding $85 million.

General manager Andrew Berry did not sit idly after this decision. He has added left guard Zion Johnson and former Packers veteran Elgton Jenkins to strengthen the O-line. Then there is right tackle Tytus Howard, whom they acquired in a trade with the Houston Texans.

Although they are doing their best, matching Bitonio’s production will be extremely difficult. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished as the eighth-best pass-blocking guard in the NFL with a 75.7 grade. Meanwhile, data from ESPN Stats & Info showed he ranked No. 6 among interior linemen in pass-block win rate at 96%, winning 400 of his 415 pass-blocking snaps.

Regardless, the situation is a bit tricky for the Cleveland Browns. First, the awkward $23.5 million hit, and then there is a chance that Bitonio’s future may affect the cap space as well.

After the recent additions, the Browns are almost $10 million over cap space. Re-signing Joel Bitonio could put more pressure on that figure. It remains to be seen how the situation unfolds, especially with Andrew Berry, who would surely be ready to welcome him back with open arms.