This story has been updated with new information.
BEREA — Wyatt Teller’s season is over for the Browns. It may also be the end of his career in Cleveland.
Teller was placed on injured reserve by the team Dec. 31 after he reaggravated his calf injury on the first series of the Week 17 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The calf injury, which he initially suffered in the Week 13 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, will have ultimately cost him four full games.
“Disappointed, obviously, for it to end with an injury for Wyatt,” coach Kevin Stefanski said Dec. 31. “He fought, rehabbed very hard to get back to play in that one, then re-aggravated that injury early in that game. So that was disappointing for him and for us. Obviously, he’s played through a lot of injuries before in the past as well. He’s played really good football for us, but disappointed that it ended a week early.”
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The Browns (4-12) close out the season Jan. 4 at the Cincinnati Bengals. They signed center Kingsley Eguakun off the Detroit Lions’ practice squad to replace Teller on the roster, although he wasn’t expected to practice Dec. 31 due to knee and shoulder injuries.
Teller has started 94 of 101 games in which he’s played in Cleveland since being acquired in a 2019 trade with the Buffalo Bills. The three-time Pro Bowler played at least 15 games in four of his first five seasons with the Browns, although injures limited him to just 13 games the last two seasons.
Teller’s future with the Browns is very much up in the air. He’ll be a free agent this year, one of four opening-day offensive line starters for the Browns who will be, along with center Ethan Pocic, right tackle Jack Conklin and left guard Joel Bitonio.
Pocic, Conklin and, now, Teller all finished the season on injured reserve. Pocic started the first 13 games before tearing his Achilles in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans, while Conklin started a total of eight games before a second concussion led to him being put on injured reserve ahead of the Week 16 game against the Buffalo Bills.
The Browns have already started 10 different offensive line combinations over the first 16 games. Depending on if Teven Jenkins can clear concussion protocol, that number may be 11 against the Bengals.
Zak Zinter replaced Teller and Jenkins against the Steelers, the first snaps of the season for the 2024 third-round pick at guard this season. The Browns have, over the last two weeks, signed a pair of interior linemen off practice squads: Ekuagun from the Lions and Kendrick Green off the Bills.
“Certainly could be Zak,” Stefanski said. “We have options there. We’re working through all that.”
Another long-time Browns starter who will be a potential free agent this offseason, tight end David Njoku, will not practice Dec. 31 due to the knee injury that has kept him out of the last three games. However, Stefanski indicated he would be back on the practice field the following day.
“He’s still rehabbing that injury,” Stefanski said. “We expect him back tomorrow. He can update you guys when appropriate.”
Tight end Harold Fannin Jr. also was not practicing as the Browns turned their attention to the Bengals. He re-aggravated the groin injury he initially suffered Dec. 26 on a first-quarter touchdown catch against the Steelers
Stefanski said of Fannin’s status that he’s “not going to practice today, but definitely not ruling him out.”
Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Browns place Wyatt Teller on injured reserve, sign Kingsley Eguakun
Reporting by Chris Easterling, Akron Beacon Journal / Akron Beacon Journal
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