Browns Digest

Cleveland Browns Starting Left Tackle Remains A Mystery Leading Into Week 1

The team announced that Jedrick Wills is ruled out for the matchup with Dallas, while Jack Conklin is considered questionable

Spencer German

Sep 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) rides the medical cart back to the locker room following an injury during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Sep 10, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) rides the medical cart back to the locker room following an injury during the first half at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
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The mystery of who will start at left tackle for the Cleveland Browns in their Week 1 matchup with the Cowboys will roll into Sunday.

Following Cleveland's final practice of the week on Friday, the team revealed that Jedrick Wills has been ruled out for the season opener. Meanwhile, Jack Conklin is being listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity throughout the week. Whether or not he'll suit up and be an option at left tackle will be determined in the coming days leading up to kickoff.

"We're gonna work through it the next 48 hours," head coach Kevin Stefanski said, adding that he "thinks all options are on the table," in regards to whether or not Conklin could split reaps with healthy swing tackle James Hudson.

Conklin has been working his way back from a serious knee injury that saw him tear multiple ligaments in Week 1 of last season. He made a long awaited return to practice last week, after being captured doing some left tackle work prior to a training camp practice in August.

The 30-year-old stuck to the script when asked about his status for Sunday, telling a group of reporters in the locker room on Friday that he'll test things out before kickoff and see how he feels.

The news of Wills being ruled out was not a surprise after the 2020 first-round pick revealed he wouldn't be ready in time for the matchup with Dallas earlier in the week. Wills is coming back from an MCL injury in his right knee which required arthroscopic surgery to repair. He just practiced for the first time since November on Wednesday.

And so Hudson and Conklin are in play to start at left tackle this weekend, but a final decision is unlikely until Sunday, Whoever ends up with the job will have their hands full trying to restrict Cowboys star pass rusher Micah Parsons

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Spencer German

SPENCER GERMAN

Spencer German is a contributor to the Northeast Ohio cluster of sites, including Cavs Insider, Cleveland Baseball Insider and most notably Browns Digest. He also works as a fill-in host on Cleveland Sports Radio, 92.3 The Fan, one of the Browns radio affiliate stations in Cleveland. Despite being a Cleveland transplant, Spencer has enjoyed making Northeast Ohio home ever since he attended college locally at John Carroll University, where he graduated in 2013.

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