The Cleveland Browns are stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Myles Garrett’s trade request might force the team to change its offseason plans, although that seems unlikely for now.
Whatever the case, they desperately need to shed plenty of money from their books, as they’re well over the salary cap right now.
With that in mind, Bradley Locker of PFF believes that the team could look to part ways with veteran offensive guard Wyatt Teller:
“The team must navigate a pending trade request from Myles Garrett, plus getting out from -$31 million in cap space. There aren’t many clear ways to revise that with cuts, but releasing Teller after June 1 could work. Last year, the 30-year-old posted only a 62.6 overall PFF grade, his lowest since 2019. Factoring in Cleveland’s need for OL upgrades, as well as Teller’s injuries and declining play, that could warrant making the sacrifice there,” Locker said.
Teller was far from his best last season, and he’s not getting any younger.
He might still have some good years left in him, but the Browns can’t afford to have aging and expensive veterans on the roster right now.
The Browns’ offensive line is in desperate need of some retooling, and new offensive line coach Mike Bloomgren will have his work cut out for him in that regard.
Joel Bitonio might choose not to return for another season, and plenty of that might depend on whether the team ends up trading Garrett.
Even if he were to come back, the team would still need to find someone in the draft or free agency to build around for the future.
Garrett’s trade request is giving GM Andrew Berry the perfect opportunity to get a clean slate and build a sustainable team for years to come.
If the team fails to do so, they will have a very difficult time fielding a competitive team next season, given their current financial situation.
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