Finding the silver lining with Browns latest unfortunate injury

Losing a player to injury is never good and the Cleveland Browns have had more than their fair share of players go down. On Sunday, they lost another key starter when Wyatt Teller suffered a knee injury in the loss to the New York Giants.

Teller will be out for "multiple games," which is far from ideal. However, there's one small silver lining to cling to. The Browns were ready for such an injury.

During the 2024 NFL Draft, Cleveland selected Michigan guard Zak Zinter. The third-round pick was seen as a home run instantly. Zinter, who suffered a broken leg during his final collegiate season, has the makings of a future starter in the NFL.

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He's already seen the field for 50 snaps on the base offense this season and has played well with a 70.8 run block grade from PFF. He still has some big shoes to fill as he steps in for Teller but the Browns will have to make some tough calls soon.

Both Teller and starting left guard Joel Bitonio are entering the final year of their contracts in 2025. They'll also each be over the age of 30, with Bitonio flirting with 35 by the time his deal ends.

Seeing what Zinter has now will give them more information as they go forward. It's never easy to say goodbye to veterans — especially ones that have been stellar throughout their tenures. But having a replacement in-house makes those moves easier to cope with.

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