Kevin Stefanski Shares Major Injury Update On Browns Left Tackle Jedrick Wills

The 2020 first-first-round pick returned to practice on Wednesday ahead of the Cleveland Browns season opener with the Cowboys

Nov 5, 2023; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) cries as he is carted off the field following an injury during the third quarter against the Arizona Cardinals at Cleveland Browns Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Galvin-Imagn Images / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

The Cleveland Browns left tackle situation got a little more complicated ahead of the team's season opener with the Dallas Cowboys.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski revealed in his first press conference of the week that usual starter Jedrick Wills Jr. will return to practice on Wednesday, marking the first time he's practiced since suffering a knee injury against the Cardinals on Nov. 5 of last season. It's unclear, however, if Wills will play in the Week 1 contest.

"Yes, [he could play], Stefanski reveals before practice. "Let's get through today. Every injury is different, every injury you have to treat as it comes up and as a guy goes through rehab. Jed has worked very, very, very hard throughout this entire rehab. He wants to be out there. You just have to make sure you're taking in every day and taking in all the information."

Wills has spent the entirety of the offseason working his way back from an MCL injury that cost him the final nine games of the regular season in 2023. A little over a month after suffering the injury in early November, WIlls had arthroscopic knee surgery to clean out the knee.

In an appearance on @MaggieandPerl, Deshaun Watson's personal QB coach Quiny Avery provided a notable update about where the the #Browns star is at health wise ahead of season opener against Dallas: https://t.co/mNDoSXKMUs

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) September 3, 2024

Throughout the spring and summer the 25-year-old was noticeably uninvolved in practice as he continued his rehab from the procedure. He then spent the entirety of training camp on Cleveland's physically unable to perform list before being activated to the 53-man roster on cutdown day last week.

Wills did not practice last week though, while his counterpart, Jack Conklin returned to the field after suffering from a serious knee injury of his own early last season. With second-year tackle Dawand Jones likely locked into the starting spot on the right side, Wills and Conklin could now both be in the mix to start on the left side for the Browns home opener on Sunday. Stefanski will likely spend the coming days weighing that decision.

Wills is entering his fifth-year in the NFL after being drafted in the first round of the 2020 draft. Cleveland picked up the option year in his deal last offseason but have yet to extend Wills, making this an important year for the Alabama product as he hopes to earn a second contract.