It’s rather easy to make the case that the Cleveland Browns took a giant risk in not adding an offensive lineman via the draft in April. The team’s four established starters were entering the final year of their contracts, and all were 30 or older. Dawand Jones was penciled in at left tackle after making just three appearances there in 2024.

With the Browns on their third different offensive line coach by title — Mike Vrabel became sort of the de facto offensive line coach in the back half of 2024 — the folks in charge mostly looked to keep things together.

Now it’s December, and the line is dealing with major issues. Right tackle Jack Conklin suffered his second concussion of the season during Sunday’s loss to the San Francisco 49ers, and right guard Wyatt Teller suffered a calf injury that will keep him out at least one week and possibly longer. Teller made his 100th career start versus the 49ers, but he split time with Teven Jenkins in what was considered a pre-planned demotion for Teller, a Pro Bowler from 2021 to 2023.

Jenkins becomes the starter at right guard with Teller out. KT Leveston replaced Conklin against the 49ers and probably will start if Conklin isn’t cleared, though the Browns also have veteran Cornelius Lucas on the roster as a backup tackle.

The Browns started seven different offensive line combinations over the first seven games of this season before the newly acquired Cam Robinson settled in at left tackle, so at least the group is experienced with making lineup changes.

Earlier this season, Teller spoke openly about wanting to sign an extension and play the rest of his career in Cleveland. Now, both his immediate and long-term future remain a mystery with five games left this season. Of the projected starters for this week’s game vs. the Tennessee Titans, only Leveston is under contract for next year.

Is wholesale change coming across the line? That might depend on whether there are wholesale changes atop the organization. Recent investments made by the front office in the offensive line have produced little to no real results, and even if Jenkins replacing Teller before the injury was viewed as some tryout for the future, Jenkins is just on a one-year deal.

Here’s where each of the Browns’ offensive linemen stands heading into the 2025 season’s final five games. All contract numbers are via Over the Cap.

Joel Bitonio, guard

Age: 34
Years with team: 12
Contract status: Signed through 2025, but carrying a 2026 salary-cap number of $23.5 million through past contract accelerations

Bitonio has been clear that he has made no decisions about his football future. But he considered retirement last year, and he’s also said on multiple occasions that he doesn’t plan to play anywhere else. So, we’ll assume that Bitonio is probably down to his final three home games in Cleveland while keeping the door open for a potential 13th season.

Bitonio has been rugged and durable, and he’ll certainly be a member of the franchise’s legends class as soon as he’s eligible. It’s hard to see him wanting to come back to a mess of an offense, and a mess is all the Cleveland offense has made over the last two seasons.

Wyatt Teller, guard

Age: 31
Years with team: 7
Contract status: Signed through 2025, but carrying a 2026 cap number of $10.4 million through past contract accelerations

Until now, Teller has been healthy for the past two seasons. And he was really, really good for five or six seasons before this year — something Teller will acknowledge. The slip in play is as problematic as the current injury, and it’s too early to project what might happen next. The Browns invested heavily in building one of the league’s best guard duos, but they will likely have to explore multiple avenues to address the position going forward.

Ethan Pocic, center

Age: 30
Years with team: 4
Contract status: Signed through 2025, but carrying a 2026 cap number of around $4.4 million from void years added to his contract

Pocic is a physical center who’s been solid through myriad quarterback changes. The Browns signed him for almost nothing in the second wave of free agency in 2022, then smartly paid to keep him ahead of 2023. Pocic was one of general manager Andrew Berry’s best pickups based on value and experience, but the Browns haven’t replicated that in more recent offensive line additions. Even if Pocic is interested in staying, Cleveland might have to spend its 2026 free-agent budget in other places.

Jack Conklin, tackle

Age: 31
Years with team: 6
Contract status: Signed through 2025, but carrying a 2026 cap number of $5.6 million from last year’s necessary restructuring of his contract

Conklin was a high-priority, high-priced free-agent acquisition in 2020 who immediately upgraded the Browns’ offensive line. But given his injury history, the extension he signed in late 2022 always seemed to be a high-risk move, even with the Browns believing they were ready to become contenders.

Now, the line is in real trouble, and Conklin has missed 24 games over the last three seasons. By Pro Football Focus grading of 84 tackles who have played at least six games this season, Conklin is the top-rated Browns tackle at No. 66. Robinson and Leveston land about 15 spots lower.

Cam Robinson, tackle

Age: 30
Years with team: 1
Contract status: Signed through this season. The Browns are only responsible for Robinson’s base salary after acquiring him in a late September trade with Houston

Robinson has become the Browns’ starting left tackle. The team viewed him as the best available option when seeking trade help, and though he’s generally committed a penalty in each game, he’s provided some stability. He likely won’t get the $12 million he received from the Texans in free agency in March, but he has plenty of reasons to play well and create a market for himself heading to 2026.

The Browns almost certainly will be looking to draft a left tackle of the future in the spring, but there’s no guarantee that player will immediately take over.

Teven Jenkins, guard/tackle

Age: 27
Years with team: 1
Contract status: Signed through 2025. Carrying a 2026 cap number of $1.2 million through void years put on the contract he signed in March

Jenkins was considered one of the best available free-agent offensive linemen in the spring. Some teams were wary of Jenkins’ injury history, but the Browns gave him a small guarantee on his 2025 salary to get an up-close look at how he might fit into their future plans. Jenkins has past experience at tackle, though he’s mostly played guard. This season, he’s played some guard, a little bit of tackle and a significant number of snaps as an extra offensive lineman. Sunday will mark his 39th career start, but his first in Cleveland.

KT Leveston, tackle

Age: 26
Years with team: 1
Contract status: His standard rookie deal runs through 2027

The Browns traded a 2028 seventh-round pick for Leveston on roster cutdown day in August because he’s signed for three seasons and the team believes he’s worth further development. He probably wasn’t ever supposed to play as much as he has, and he’s likely going to return to right tackle until Conklin is cleared to return. Leveston has started games at both left and right tackle this season. He’s likely to be back with the team next summer competing for a roster spot and potentially playing time, depending on how the position is addressed in the offseason.

Cornelius Lucas, tackle

Age: 34
Years with team: 1
Contract status: Signed through next season, but the team can save around $2 million from Lucas’ 2026 cap number of $3.6 million if he’s released early next year

Lucas was signed in March to be the top backup at left and right tackle. He ended up starting games at both spots over the season’s first month, but he was benched once Robinson took the left tackle position. Lucas has generally been inactive for games in recent weeks, but he’ll likely return to the swing tackle role with the Browns potentially shorthanded at multiple spots.

Luke Wypler, center

Age: 24
Years with team: 3
Contract status: His standard rookie deal runs through 2026

Wypler’s most extensive action this season has come as an extra tackle/tight end, though he made a brief appearance on Sunday. Given that Wypler is under contract in 2026, he’s probably in line to be the starting center in what will be his contract year. The coaches like Wypler’s work ethic and willingness to contribute in multiple ways. We’ll see next summer if he’s viewed as a starting-quality player.

Zak Zinter, guard

Age: 24
Years with team: 2
Contract status: His standard rookie deal runs through 2027

Zinter has only been active for one game this season, though Teller’s injury means Zinter will be active and might play in jumbo packages this week. As the only offensive lineman selected by the Browns in the last two drafts, it’s fair to call the start of Zinter’s career a disappointment at this stage, though it’s premature or unfair to call him a bust. If he gets a chance to play in December, he’d be wise to maximize his opportunity regardless of who’s calling the shots (or plays) for the Browns in 2026.

Dawand Jones, tackle (IR)

Age: 24
Years with team: 3
Contract status: His standard rookie deal runs through 2026

All three of Jones’ seasons have ended with him on injured reserve. He’s played well in spurts and was always viewed as at least somewhat of a developmental prospect, so he’ll get another shot next season, likely at right tackle. He was replaced after two games at left tackle this season and suffered a season-ending injury in the third, but Jones will be in the mix next year with one more (and likely last) shot to play his way into the team’s long-term plans.

Practice squad

Garrett Dellinger, guard

Dellinger, a seventh-round pick of the Ravens in April, was cut by Baltimore at the end of the preseason. The Ravens wanted Dellinger back on their practice squad, but he chose to join Cleveland’s practice squad instead. With the Browns now shorthanded, the 23-year-old Dellinger could get a chance to make his regular-season debut at some point soon.

Tyre Phillips, tackle

The Browns added Phillips, 28, to the practice squad in September as a potential emergency tackle option. Phillips made 28 starts over five years with the New York Giants and Ravens. With Jenkins going from emergency game day tackle to starting guard, the Browns may need to either promote Phillips or add another tackle for this week. Phillips played guard in 2020 for Baltimore as a rookie third-round pick, but he’s mostly been a backup tackle in recent seasons.