Another Browns farewell carries an uneasy tone fans can't ignore

Earlier this month, beloved Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku posted an emotional farewell message to fans and the franchise that drafted him on his Instagram page.

It didn’t take long for another fan favorite to follow suit, while striking a nearly identical tone.

Wyatt Teller, Cleveland’s starting right guard since the middle of the 2019 season, made his exit from Cleveland official on Wednesday night after posting a goodbye message to Browns fans.

Unlike Njoku, Teller didn’t mention the Haslams or general manager Andrew Berry by name in his post. He did express gratitude for the city, stating how Cleveland will always hold a special place in his heart after his seven years there.

Teller’s opening line was extremely telling, though, and it was clearly directed at Browns fans: “I wish things were different,” he wrote, “and this is hard to put into words.”

Cleveland’s offensive rebuild under new coach Todd Monken is off to an emotional start

Browns fans were ready for both of these moves. Njoku was a fixture in trade rumors last season as rookie tight end Harold Fannin Jr. emerged as the team’s No. 1 receiver. Teller, meanwhile, ceded reps to Teven Jenkins down the stretch run of the regular season (although, that clearly wasn't by choice).

Both Njoku and Teller were banged up and missed a handful of games, and both were scheduled to have their contracts void this offseason as pending 2026 free agents. They also clearly hoped to stay with the team through its transition into the Todd Monken era.

Njoku was almost giddy with local reporters around last year’s trade deadline, telling them “I'm in Cleveland, baby. I'm not going nowhere … ever.”

When asked if he thought he and the team could work out an extension, he replied, “I hope so.”

Roster turnover is inevitable whenever a team changes head coaches or general managers, and more Browns farewells could be coming in the near future. Ironman left guard Joel Bitonio just had the void date in his contract extended to March 10 as he contemplates his next move. Right tackle Jack Conklin and center Ethan Pocic could also be moving on, with Cleveland expected to go younger and more athletic in the offensive line.

The 2026 Cleveland Browns will have a completely new look on offense, and that’s a good thing given how the Kevin Stefanski tenure ended.

It might end up being a little more painful than fans anticipated, though.