There have already been multiple emotional farewells penned for Cleveland Browns fans this offseason, but the message from veteran right guard Wyatt Teller stood out back on Feb. 18.
Teller made it painfully clear that, if he had it his way, he’d sign a new contract that would allow him to retire in Cleveland. He posted a goodbye to Browns fans on Instagram that noticeably did not mention GM Andrew Berry, owner Jimmy Haslam, or anyone of note from within the organization. He was, however, profuse in his praise for the fans and city of Cleveland, where he proposed to his wife, Carly, and they raised their two children.
Teller began that IG post with the words: “I wish things were different." Browns fans have been bracing for one of their roster mainstays to move on entering his age-31 season.
That indeed appears to be the case. On Tuesday, NFL reporter Aaron Wilson of KPRC Channel 2 in Houston reported mutual interest between Teller and the Texans ahead of free agency.
“I did hear that Wyatt Teller, there’s a little bit of interest in him and it’s mutual,” Wilson said via his YouTube channel. “He’s interested in them. We’ll see. He’s looking for a spot.”
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— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) March 4, 2026
Mutual interest with the Texans all but confirms Wyatt Teller’s upcoming departure from Cleveland
Similar to the Browns, the Texans are in the process of retooling their offense around C.J. Stroud after last year’s disappointing playoff exit. Houston’s defense carried the team through the wild-card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but in their two playoff games, the Texans struggled to run the ball and protect the quarterback.
The Texans have already executed two big trades this week, including shipping right tackle Tytus Howard to the Browns in exchange for a fifth-round draft pick. They also made a move with the Detroit Lions to acquire veteran running back David Montgomery.
The Howard trade was a surprise and, per Wilson, hasn’t been received well in Houston’s locker room. Wilson expects the team to add as many as four new offensive linemen in free agency and the draft, with Teller firmly in the mix to replace right guard Ed Ingram, who enjoyed a resurgent season in Houston in 2025 and will be looking to cash in as an unrestricted free agent.
For the Browns, the Teller situation got a bit awkward towards the end of the Kevin Stefanski era, with the veteran working through injuries and eventually splitting reps with the younger Teven Jenkins. He signed a four-year, $58.6 million contract extension with Cleveland in 2021, but a pair of restructures added void years to the tune of $21.3 million in dead-cap money, and given his age, it makes more sense from the team’s perspective to cut ties now and get younger at the position than to negotiate another extension.
Teller wound up playing 765 offensive snaps in 2025, per Pro Football Focus, his lowest since getting traded from Buffalo to Cleveland during the 2019 offseason. He’s obviously on the back-nine of his NFL career at this point, but he definitely has some gas left in the tank. Houston offers not only a chance for immediate playing time, but the chance to compete for championships in the wide-open AFC South.
Houston’s football atmosphere certainly won’t compare to Cleveland's, but it does feel like a great fit for Teller to finish out his final playing years.