When Wyatt Teller signed with the Houston Texans in March, he was supposed to bring a Pro Bowl edge to the interior of the line in front of C.J. Stroud. Seven months later, he is mostly watching from the sideline, and his only extended run came when he stepped in at right guard for an injured Ed Ingram.
That’s why ESPN’s Dan Graziano listed Teller among the 2026 free agent signings who “stand out as potentially available due to their situations not working out” in this week’s NFL buzz column. There is no report that Houston is shopping him, so whether he gets moved before the Nov. 10 deadline remains an open question.
How Teller fell out of the lineup
Houston gave Teller a two-year deal worth $16 million in base value, with $8.5 million guaranteed and a $5.75 million signing bonus. Then the Texans traded up for Keylan Rutledge at No. 26 in April, and the rookie won the left guard job. Teller has played 141 offensive snaps, per Pro Football Reference, most of them in two starts at right guard while Ingram missed Weeks 2 and 3 with a groin injury. He played seven snaps against Tennessee and none in the Week 6 snap counts from London.
His PFF grade of 69.4 ranks 24th among 77 guards, lifted by a 75.7 run-blocking mark. Pass protection has lagged, with a 53.9 grade, five pressures and one sack allowed on 103 pass-blocking snaps, a small sample. Offensive line coach Cole Popovich liked what he saw in the summer. “Just his play style, just the way he carries himself on the field every day, he’s got a lot of experience,” Popovich told KPRC 2.
Three realistic paths for the Texans
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images via Reuters Connect
A trade is cheap for a buyer, since Teller’s 2026 base salary is only $1.5 million, though Houston would keep the rest of his signing bonus proration on its cap. Keeping him has value too. Houston is 2-4 after finally finishing a close one at Wembley, and Stroud is playing like an MVP candidate, with one interception on 219 attempts. With fans in H-Town still hoping for a playoff push, a proven guard behind Ingram is useful insurance. The third path is waiting until spring, when his $7.25 million base salary for 2027 carries only $1.25 million in guarantees and a release becomes the easiest exit.
More on the Houston Texans
- C.J. Stroud Makes Massive Jump in PFF QB Rankings With Only 3 Turnover-Worthy Plays in 6 Games
- Texans Stock Watch: Jaylin Noel’s Career-Best Performance Puts Houston’s Rising Receiver on the Map
- Dan Pompei Says Will Anderson Jr. Can’t Carry the Texans’ Struggling Defense on His Own
- Texans Get Tank Dell Back as Receivers Become a Strength
