The Cleveland Browns have made many early first-round picks over the years, largely due to their subpar play. They’ve had some incredible players come through this organization (including newly departed Myles Garrett). Still, for one reason after another, they haven’t been able to put it all together into a consistent season.
Injuries have been a major factor in recent years, but they’ve seemingly failed to put things together on the offensive side of the ball despite their positive moments on defense.
Take the 2020 NFL Draft as a case study. The Browns (along with several other teams around the league) were high on OT Jedrick Wills, and wanted to use the No. 10 overall pick on him to be a staple of their offensive line.
This was a great decision, at least from the get-go, as Wills was on the PFWA All-Rookie Team, so he was recognized at a league-wide level for his play during his rookie season. After a few solid years, Wills got injured during the 2023 campaign and was only to play five games in 2024 before being released by the Browns after that season.
He didn’t get picked up by a team for the 2025 campaign, but the Chicago Bears picked him up ahead of 2026, hoping the former first-round pick could find the magic he put together during his rookie season. Unfortunately, things didn’t pan out well for Wills at this stop, as Adam Schefter recently gave some bad news.
“Bears are releasing OT Jedrick Wills, per source,” Schefter said.
Bears are releasing OT Jedrick Wills, per source.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 30, 2026
The Bears gave Wills the shot they believed he deserved, but at least for them, it wasn’t a good fit. They are trying to build something special with Caleb Williams and that offense, and Wills didn’t seem to be the right man for the job.
It will be interesting to see if the Browns or another team present him with a job opportunity, especially considering his draft capital. Most top-10 OT’s tend to work out, so Wills could find another chance to prove that he’s worthy of an NFL roster spot.
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