CLEVELAND, Ohio — Browns right guard Teller notched his 100th career start on Sunday. Then he was on the bench for the team’s second offensive series. Teven Jenkins replaced him.
The two rotated by series the rest of the game.
“I wanted to see Teven in this game,” head coach Kevin Stefanski said, but obviously want to always get our guys as many reps as we can.”
Teller and Jenkins found out on Tuesday night they were going to rotate.
“Team first,” Teller said. “Coach asked me to rotate, and I’ll do what he asks.”
Teller has been the Browns starting right guard since he took over in 2019. The Browns acquired him in a trade orchestrated by then-GM John Dorsey on August 29, 2019 and GM Andrew Berry, who replaced Dorsey after that season, was so happy with his performance that he signed him to a four-year, $56.8 million contract in the middle of the 2021 season.
Teller, who turned 30 this month, has made three Pro Bowls with the Browns and has been second-team All-Pro twice.
Less than a month ago, right around the NFL trade deadline, Teller expressed his desire to retire a Brown.
Now his future seems murky after what he called a “very weird day.”
“Probably along the lines of not playing well enough,” Teller said when asked if he was given an explanation for why the decision was made to rotate him and Jenkins.
Teller had to pivot to helping get Jenkins ready to get some real snaps.
“Whatever it takes,” Teller said. “Things that I prepare or the ways that I’ve done stuff. Just how can I help other players, younger players, anybody.”
This isn’t the first time Jenkins has seen the field with the Browns this season. He’s been used as an extra lineman and has played a little at tackle. The second-round pick by the Bears in 2021, who signed a one-year deal here this offseason, has started 38 of 56 games in his career, including 14 last season, all at left guard.
“I’ve rotated before in my career,” Jenkins said. “It’s hard on both guys, but it’s my job and it’s what I was asked to do.”
Jenkins was happy to have received help from Teller this week.
“It says a lot about his character. He’s a great man,” Jenkins said. “He really cares about who you are, the person and football player, and he really cares about this team.”
Perhaps it’s flown under the radar amid the Browns’ other offensive issues, but Sunday’s decision, along with right tackle Jack Conklin leaving due to a concussion, drives home that this offensive line is very much in flux.
The offensive line was the backbone of a strong run game in the early years of Kevin Stefanski’s tenure, especially under the tutelage of former offensive line coach Bill Callahan. Callahan left the organization in 2024 to coach with his son, Brian, in Tennessee. Now there are serious questions about the future of all five positions.
Four of the five starters, Teller, center Ethan Pocic, left guard Joel Bitonio and Conklin, are free agents after the season.
Bitonio seriously contemplated retirement last offseason and has admitted he’s year-to-year at this point.
Conklin has struggled with injuries since he arrived in Cleveland and this year has been no different. He’s still an effective player when healthy, but that has become a big if at this point.
At left tackle, the Browns cleared the way for third-year tackle Dawand Jones to have the position. But on top of saying he prefers playing right tackle, he saw his third consecutive season end due to injury when Green Bay safety Javon Bullard went low early in the Week 3 matchup in Cleveland.
With Bitonio’s future unclear, it was at least fair to think that the Browns could hold together part of their interior by re-signing Pocic, 30, and Teller. Stefanski’s decision to rotate Jenkins into Sunday’s game calls into question to some degree Teller’s long-term future.
Jenkins wouldn’t go so far as to comment on if he views the next five weeks as an opportunity to put himself in the mix beyond this season. He does know that if there is more playing time for him, he can count on Teller for help.
“He’s a great, great teammate,” Jenkins said. “He’s helped me a lot ever since I’ve been here.”
With the Browns possessing 10 draft picks, including two first-round picks along with four overall in the Top 100 and a likely high pick to start Day 3, they will have the ammunition to revamp their line with young talent alongside doing some work in free agency.
Sunday was one of the first clear signs that one of the strengths of this team in its best seasons under Stefanski is now one of its biggest question marks. There could be changes coming up front.
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