Wyatt Teller will not be on the field when the Cleveland Browns take on the Cincinnati Bengals in their final regular-season game on Sunday.
The Browns have placed Teller on injured reserve, ending what could be his final season in Cleveland early. Teller returned from a calf injury against the Pittsburgh Steelers but reaggravated it in the win.
“Disappointed obviously for it to end with an injury for Wyatt. He fought and rehabbed very hard to get back to playing in that one and reaggravated that injury early in that game,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “It was disappointing for him and us. Obviously, he’s played through a lot of injuries in the past. He’s played really good football for us. Disappointing that it ended a week early.”
Teller started 13 games for the Browns this season. He has three Pro Bowl selections on his resume, all with Cleveland. With an open roster spot, the Browns signed center Kingsley Eguakun to the active roster off the Lions‘ practice squad.
Browns OL Wyatt Teller Set to Become Free Agent
Despite the uncertainty surrounding his future, Teller has been clear about where he wants it to be, expressing a desire to stay in Cleveland and help the Browns restore the winning culture he believes is closer than the team’s 4-12 record suggests.
“I don’t want to tuck tail and leave because I feel like a couple of years ago we were that close to being in the AFC Championship,” Teller said in November. “That’s just mindboggling for any Cleveland Browns fan. Because it’s just been since the ’80s since we’ve done it. We used to do it consistently, so how can we bring that culture back that goes to the playoffs, that has a winning team, that it’s not the same old Cleveland Browns?”
The Browns are facing significant instability across the offensive line. Center Ethan Pocic and tackle Jack Conklin both saw their seasons end early and are set to become free agents. Left tackle Dawand Jones also suffered a season-ending knee and hamstring injury in Week 3. Adding another layer, veteran guard Joel Bitonio — the longest-tenured player on the roster — is expected to weigh retirement this offseason.
Browns Bullish on Zak Zinter as Teller Replacement
The Browns may turn to former third-round pick Zak Zinter as a replacement for Teller in Week 18. Zinter was a third-round pick of the Browns in 2024 out of Michigan. He started three games last season but has rarely seen the field this year.
“Certainly could be Zak. We have options there. We are working through that. He played last season for us, but has not played that much this year,” Stefanski said. “But he’s been playing extremely hard, and I’m seeing a lot of that hard work show up in these games. I’m bullish on Zak.”
The Browns don’t have anything to play for in the final week of the season. But there’s a lot at stake for quarterback Shedeur Sanders and others as they look to solidify their roles for next season.
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