The clock is running out. Several Cleveland Browns players have been here past their first contracts, earned seconds, and have failed to impress. At some point, there was hype, hope, or even outright production from these players, but we've hit a point now where the talent is either not getting better or actively falling off.
Sadly, things change. The 2020 season was nearly six years ago. Expectations were met, and now we're in the backswing of things. That means the roster is likely going to be turned over, and some guys who have been around a long time will either be saying goodbye to the team or to their careers, not too long from now.
Sadly, these three players have proven to no longer be worth the money they're getting paid. With the team heading to a full rebuild, it's likely these three players are first out the door sometime soon. So we're going to look at three players with at least three consecutive years with the Browns that we wouldn't be surprised to see cut at some point during training camp.
Quickly, though, two names that weren't considered were Deshaun Watson and Dawand Jones. Watson has been a bust, but his contract makes it hard to move on from him. As for Jones, he's been awful, but he's only been in Cleveland two seasons, so he doesn't make the cut.
OL Wyatt Teller
There was a time in 2020 when Wyatt Teller was actively being talked about as a Top 10 MVP candidate. At the time, he was playing like one, posting a PFF grade of 92.2. He was the best guard in the league for a season or two.
Yet, by 2024, his score had fallen to 62.6. A score that is, at best, pretty average. With an average salary of $14.2 million per year, being in the final year of his contract, and the fact that his declining play has led to issues with the offense, Teller could be one of the more established names cut during training camp. That is, if he isn't to rebound to prior forms.
No one is expecting another 92.2 type season out of the 31-year-old, but if his play doesn't improve, there's no reason to keep him around, regardless of whether he's willing to take a pay cut in 2026 to stay with the team.
S Grant Delpit
We keep waiting for Grant Delpit to start playing up to his potential and salary. Averaging $12 million a year, the six-year safety has never proven to be anything more than a starter in this league. PFF has him graded out as an average safety throughout the majority of his career.
His salary, the potential $4 million in savings if he were traded, and his lackluster play make him an ideal trade asset for the Browns. He may only fetch a fifth or sixth-rounder, but if someone on the team outplays Delpit in training camp and the preseason, then there's no reason to hold onto him beyond the preseason.
DE Alex Wright
There's an argument to be made for keeping Teller and Delpit. They're still good enough players, on a team that doesn't have a lot of talent that's even that good. If a better option emerges, save some time, get younger, and move on.
Yet, for Alex Wright, there isn't a reason to keep him. He's been a bust of a player; he has one career sack to his name, he's eating up a roster spot, and cutting him saves you nearly $4 million. If Wright makes the team for Week 1, without showing a significant improvement, then the Browns are truly just trying to tank this season.