The Cleveland Browns have had a slew of injuries throughout this season, and one of the spots that has been impacted most has been left tackle where Jedrick Wills Jr. has been in and out of the lineup while working his way back from last year’s season-ending knee injury.
Dawand Jones has emerged in his absence and has now fully cemented himself as the starter even though Wills is healthy, and it leaves plenty of questions about how the team will handle the position heading into the offseason.
Wills recently hyperextended his surgically-repaired left knee against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 20th and then made a “business decision” and opted not to play against the Baltimore Ravens on October 27th against the Baltimore Ravens, a game which the Browns won with Jones at left tackle that prompted head coach Kevin Stefanski to name Jones the starter moving forward.
Stefanski recently said that calling it a business decision was a “poor choice of words” during a recent press conference shared by Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot on X, but he also said that it won’t impact his playing again this season.
#Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said he talked to Jed Wills Jr. about his “business decision” remark. “Poor choice of words” Stefanski said. Won’t impact him playing again this season. pic.twitter.com/pee0vWRQfx
— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) November 13, 2024
Stefanski said that Wills wasn’t healthy enough to play in the games he missed and that he spoke with him about the situation to express to him how the words he used were misunderstood.
Wills will remain the team’s swing tackle for now, which is not great for his bank account given the fact that he is heading into free agency after this season.
If Jones continues to prove himself at left tackle, this team will likely have no problem letting Wills walk in free agency.
NEXT: Kevin Stefanski Reveals David Njoku's Status After Bye Week