CLEVELAND — Throughout the first two weeks of the 2024 season, the Browns' offensive line has made headlines for all the wrong reasons, having been beset by injuries and inconsistency since training camp.
On Sunday at Huntington Bank Field, however, the unit will finally get back one of its key cogs, with Jedrick Wills Jr. finally active and slated to start at left tackle against the New York Giants.
It marks the first game action for Wills since Nov. 5 of last year, when he tore his MCL in a Week 9 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals and had to be carted off the field. The injury left the Browns without both of their starting offensive tackles for much of the season, as over on the right side Jack Conklin tore both his ACL and MCL in the opening game of 2023.
Both Wills and Conklin have made significant progress in their respective rehabs, but both remained sidelined for the first two games of 2024, with James Hudson III replacing Wills on the blind side and Dawand Jones filling in for Conklin. While Jones has continued to make strides in his second year out of Ohio State, Hudson has struggled, with PFF currently grading him as one of the worst tackles in the NFL.
Without their two stalwarts guarding the edges, Cleveland's O-line has stumbled out of the gate, with quarterback Deshaun Watson being sacked eight times in the first two contests. The issues have also contributed to the Browns being the league's most-penalized team so far, with 24 total flags for 164 yards.
A former first-round pick out of Alabama, Wills is in the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, and this could be a make-or-break season for him if he wants to stay in Cleveland. Though he's yet to develop into the All-Pro the Browns hoped he would be when they selected him 10th overall, he nonetheless will provide a measure of stability protecting Watson from the Giants' pass rush, and is obviously a significant upgrade over Hudson.
Conlkin remains inactive in Week 3, with Jones once against getting the start at right tackle. The Browns' other inactives on Sunday are as follows:
- QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (emergency third quarterback)
- RB Pierre Strong Jr.
- WR Jamari Thrash
- TE David Njoku
- OG Javion Cohen
- CB Kahlef Hailassie
