The Cleveland Browns are grappling with internal challenges as they head into Week 11 with a disappointing 2-7 record, and one particularly complex situation involves starting left tackle Jedrick Wills.
Recently benched following his decision to sit out a game against the Baltimore Ravens, Wills has now openly discussed the reasoning behind his absence and the benching that followed.
Wills explained that his choice to sit out the October 27 game was influenced by an injury sustained a week earlier against the Cincinnati Bengals.
âI mean, I decided myself that, I made a business decision not to play after the Bengals game going into that Ravens game because I was injured,” Wills claimed. “And then the next week is when I received the news.â
Reflecting on the benching that followed, Wills admitted, âI mean, it was pretty shocking.”
Head coach Kevin Stefanski, while committed to guiding Jameis Winston as the teamâs quarterback, now faces a new challenge in addressing the strained relationship with Wills.
Willsâ decision to make a “business decision” has obviously ticked off a lot of fans, particularly given his subpar performance this season.
Pro Football Focus rates Willsâ season performance with an overall grade of 52.9, with a pass-blocking grade of 63.6 – mediocre numbers for a player of his draft caliber.
Selected as the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Wills has largely been a disappointment in Cleveland.
Addressing his injury, Wills recounted the play that initially sidelined him: âIt got hyperextended on the very first play,â he said.
âI kind of felt it, but we were going up on the ball and everybody was getting set, so I was like, âwell, Iâll stay in, if it hurts later and Iâve got to come out, then it is what it is.â But I ended up finishing the game.
“The next day I got some treatment and stuff. And my knee was really swollen. I couldnât really bend it. So played out the week how it went. I wasnât ready for gametime, so I didnât end up playing.â
The following day, he described significant knee swelling and limited mobility, prompting the decision to opt out the next week.
The tackleâs contract situation adds further weight to the dilemma. In the final year of his rookie deal, Wills faces an uncertain future with the Browns.
Explaining the rationale behind his decision to sit out, he said, âYou wouldnât want to go out there and put forth 70% of your effort while youâre injured. And then you have somebody else who can go out there and give 100%, you know what I mean?
“I donât want to be out there the whole time thinking about my knee. I got to focus on my assignment. Like you said, in the past with my ankles, I played and I didnât play as good. So why would I do the same thing risking a worse knee injury?â
The Browns are left to determine whether Wills, despite his potential, is a fit for their future given his history of injuries and inconsistencies.
The fallout of Willsâ decision and his subsequent benching add another layer of complexity to the teamâs rebuilding efforts, raising the question: will Cleveland and Wills find a path forward, or is this the beginning of an end for his tenure with the Browns?
What are your thoughts on the situation? … Should Wills have toughed it out rather than making a “business decision”???
