What Wyatt Teller Said About His Struggles During His Last Few Seasons in Cleveland

The Wyatt Teller-era ended abruptly for the Cleveland Browns, with the three-time Pro Bowler and two-time second-team All-Pro quickly bidding farewell to the team a few weeks before free agency began, and the 31-year old offensive lineman quickly latching on with the Houston Texans.

But even before everything unraveled in Cleveland, it became apparent that Teller, whose contract was void a few days after the start of the new league year, wasn’t gonna be a part of the Browns' future.

Now, Teller has opened up on his last few years in Cleveland during an interview with Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 Houston, and how the disappointment of the team regressing dramatically over the last couple of seasons after a postseason appearance ended up affecting his game on a personal level.

“I feel like the last two years in Cleveland have been tough. We went through a lot of growing pains, through quarterbacks, running backs and a lot of offensive positions and stuff. Personally, I feel like there was some good ball out there, but there’s also stuff that I could've done better at, or been better at.”

Teller also made a point to compare where his new team, the Texans are now, with where he thought Cleveland was going to end up, after riding what seemed like an upwards trajectory.

“It feels like it’s been a blank. Two years ago, or really three years ago we were in Houston playing y’all [in the playoffs], and hearing that loud stadium and everything like that. It’s right there, we were right on the cusp of being a really talented team and we had a winning streak going in there. But a team like the Texans, they had so much talent. great quarterback, great running back. people to build off of. So much stability, great culture, great coaches.

“It feels like what, we were right on the edge in Cleveland having two years ago, we were right there. And you guys are already there.”

Teller came off as honest, admitting that his level of play too, fell off during his last couple of years with the Browns. His mind is now set on recapturing his previous form.

“I feel like, a little bit of my play, a couple of plays this last year where... there’s shows of it and glimpses of it, but kind of being a consistent player again where, All-Pro, Pro Bowl player that can help the Texans win.”

Why the Cleveland Browns decided to move on from Wyatt Teller

Cleveland’s issues with Teller’s play actually go back to mid-2025 season, when former head coach Kevin Stefanski started rotating Teven Jenkins off the bench for Teller in Week 13, with Teller himself accepting that Stefanski had claimed something “along the lines of I wasn’t playing well enough.”

The Browns apparently made no effort to retain Teller despite head coach and offensive line coach changes, according to Teller’s agent Andrew Ross, who spoke out on social media saying “My POV - the Browns will wish they resigned Wyatt at some point..but onto the Texans now."

Despite how everything went down, Teller -- who also commented on how he looked up to still unsigned Joel Bitonio in Cleveland -- showed accountability, which is a refreshing take.

And to be honest, Teller isn’t the only one associated with the Browns that feels like the last two years are “a blank”. Just ask the fans.

Teller has moved on, and the Browns have moved on, and whoever ends up playing the right guard spot, where Teven Jenkins should get the first shot as the team’s permanent starter, will have big shoes to fill. Teller, at his best, was pretty close to elite.