- Primary Subject: Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) in Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch
- Key Update: Rip has relocated to Texas as the executive head of operations for 10-Petal Ranch, leaving his former fixer role to a new foreman.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: June 23, 2026
- Quick Answer: Rip Wheeler is not being replaced; he has simply relocated to Texas to lead operations at 10-Petal Ranch, expanding his franchise role.
Rip Wheeler (Cole Hauser) now has a new position in the Yellowstone spinoff Dutton Ranch. As he is no longer a fixer and the role has been passed on to someone else, fans are beginning to think he may be replaced in the series.
From a ruthless ranch foreman and fixer in the original series, Rip is now the executive head of operations at the newly established 10-Petal Ranch in Rio Paloma, Texas, in the spinoff.
So what does this mean for his role in the franchise?
Will Rip Wheeler Be Replaced in Dutton Ranch?
Rip now handles the day-to-day operations on the ranch and oversees cattle with his adopted son, Carter (Finn Little), and ranch hands like Azul (J.R. Villarreal).
But while he has a new role in the series, it doesn’t mean he will leave Dutton Ranch. This simply means he is now taking on a bigger role after leaving Montana with Beth Dutton (Kelly Reilly) and relocating to Texas.
In fact, he no longer answers to anyone, unlike in his previous position, as he now takes charge and starts anew.
“It’s like going to the moon for these characters. They don’t know the land or the people or the environment,” he told People. “And they don’t know them. They don’t know who these guys are. They don’t know what they’re dealing with.”
His former duties will be passed on to Azul as the new foreman at the Dutton Ranch, alongside Zachariah (Marc Menchaca), who recently got out of prison. Alternatively, Rip has Chet (Hart Denton) as his foreman at the 10-Petal Ranch.
When Will Dutton Ranch Episode 8 Be Released?
WARNING: MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD. READ WITH CAUTION.
Dutton Ranch Episode 7, “Den of Sin,” may have just featured one of the most intense episodes of the Yellowstone spinoff, with the tragic accident of Beulah Jackson (Annette Bening) after falling to the floor.
The 10-Petal anniversary saw the announcement of Beulah’s successor, Rob-Will (Jai Courtney), which left everyone she does business with upset, including Joaquin (Juan Pablo Raba).
So, what will happen next in the series, and when will Dutton Ranch Episode 8 be released?
The new episode will drop on Friday, June 26, at 12 am PT / 3 am ET.
In the upcoming episode, fans are expected to see Beulah rushed to the hospital, with her family, Rob-Will, Oreana (Natalie Alyn Lind), Joaquin, and her date for the party, Dr. Everett McKinney (Ed Harris), by her side.
“Your family needs you, son,” McKinney told Joaquin in the new episode trailer, suggesting that he put aside his differences with his brother following the announcement that Rob-Will would succeed their mother.
As tensions continue to rise, the upcoming episode is expected to feature family conflict and more.
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