Trade rumors and speculation have engulfed the Cleveland Browns in recent weeks as the NFL trade deadline loomed large. That comes with the territory when you're a 2-6 team with a ton of roster holes to address this offseason.

Veteran guard Wyatt Teller is one name that has continually popped up in those conversations. He's near the top of a notable list of Browns players currently playing on the final year of their contract. 

Teller has been in the league long enough to not stress over the possibility that he could be playing football somewhere else on Sunday. In his heart-of-hearts though, he hopes it doesn't happens. 

"At the end of the day I view it as like, 'hey, it's a compliment.' People think that I'm good enough to get traded," Teller said on Monday. "I hope that I don't get traded. I want to retire a Cleveland Brown."

Teller's time in Cleveland predates the current regime. Former GM John Dorsey acquired the Virginia Tech product from Buffalo ahead of his second season in August of 2019. His seven years in Cleveland have been fruitful, including three Pro Bowl appearances and two All-Pro nominations.

That time has also allowed Teller to developed an unbreakable bond with Northeast Ohio and an impassioned Browns fan base. 

"I love it here," Teller said. "I was just talking to these guys about deer hunting and fishing and stuff like that. I don't want to leave this place. I love this place. But even more than that, I love the city and the fans and everything like that. I know that sounds very cliche, but I truly do. If anybody knows my family and I, we're very close in this community."

 As much as Teller may not want to leave, though, he also understands that decision is totally out of his hands.

"No, I don't want to get traded, but obviously business is in business and I know that if this could help the Cleveland Browns or something like that, I'm not above the team," he added. 

Teller's appreciation for Cleveland is admirable, but no one could blame him for being discouraged in his current situation either. On top of the team's 2-6 start to this season, the 30-year-old experienced plenty of losing during his time here. The Browns are 46-60 throughout his six plus years with the franchise, including a 5-20 record over the last two seasons. 

All that losing can be discouraging. But Teller wants to be part of the solution when things get back on track. 

"I don't want to tuck tail and leave because I feel like a couple years ago we were that close to being in the AFC championship," Teller said. "That's just mindboggling for any Cleveland Browns fan. Because it’s just been since the ’80s since we've done it. We used to do it consistently, so how can we bring that culture back that goes to the playoffs, that has a winning team, that it's not the same old Cleveland Browns?"

As things stand right now, the Browns seem far away from those glory days of the franchise that were riddled with deep playoff runs. It's why there is so much trade talk surrounding the team leading into Tuesday. 

For Teller, though, who has had a hit of that playoff euphoria twice in his career, there are signs of hope, even in the midst of a 2-6 season.

"I feel like we were right there and then just kind of took a step back. But I'm not blind to the fact that we're right there. And again, as bad as the season is viewed or perceived, we're like two or three plays away from a lot different season."