ESPN Writer Suggests That Cleveland Browns Extend This Player Before Camp

ESPN Writer Aaron Schatz released an article today on what every team's final move should be before training camp.

Jedrick Wills Jr is on track to be ready for the Browns training camp in July / Aaron Doster/The Associate Press

With training camp beginning in less than a month, the Cleveland Browns are in the process of finalizing their 53-man roster for the 2024 season.

In a recent article by Aaron Schatz of ESPN.com, the NFL analyst suggested the Browns to extend LT Jedrick Wills Jr. as one of the team's final offseason moves before training camp:

Wills' contract was restructured this offseason to give the Browns some cap room, and it now has a bunch of void years tossed onto the end of it. But effectively, the Browns will lose their left tackle after 2024 without giving him a new deal. Yes, Wills is coming off a torn MCL, but he has been one of the top young tackles in the league. Last season, he ranked eighth among tackles in pass block win rate (92.4%).

- Aaron Schatz

The former Alabama tackle suffered a season-ending MCL injury in the Browns' Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. Wills is expected to be ready for training camp in July. Geron Christian filled in for the majority of snaps at LT, finishing the season with a 43.2 overall grade by PFF.

However, Christian followed Browns former offensive lineman coach Bill Callahan to Tennessee and signed with the Titans this offseason. As a result, Cleveland's depth at the left tackle spot remains a huge question mark for the team. Swing tackle James Hudson III and Dawand Jones are set to be the backup offense tackles in 2024.

With Jack Conklin being under contract until 2026, the Browns have solidified the RT position for the future. But after Dawand Jones' impressive rookie season, many believe that he could potentially transition into the starting LT role after this season.

The 2023 fourth-round pick finished last season with a 64.7 overall PFF grade filling in for the injured Conklin.

Jones' lack of experience at LT makes the situation complicated. He primarily played on the right side of the line in college, only charting 80 snaps in his entire career at Ohio State.

Wills was selected 10th overall by the Browns in the 2020 NFL Draft, but he has not been quite as productive as other tackles chosen in the same draft class. The Browns' starting left tackle posted a career-best 66.1 PFF grade back in 2021, which ranked 52nd out of 83 tackles.

The Browns opted to pick up Wills fifth-year option back in May of 2023, which keeps him under contract this season.