Jedrick Wills Jr. has non-season-ending MCL injury in knee, will go on injured reserve

BEREA — The Browns received some bad news they feared on Monday, but not as the bad as they initially feared.

Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. sustained a MCL injury to his right knee that will require a trip to the injured reserve list, according to Browns coach Kevin Stefanski. An MRI conducted Monday revealed the extent of the damage, which a source confirmed to the Beacon Journal includes a high-grade sprain to the MCL, a low-grade sprain to the PCL and bone bruises.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero was the first to report the full extent of the injuries.

Stefanski did indicate it was not a season-ending injury for Wills. Being on IR means Wills will first be eligible to return for the Dec. 10 home game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

A source confirmed the more likely recovery time is closer to six weeks. That would make the return closer to the Christmas Eve game at the Houston Texans.

Wills was carted off the field with an air cast on his leg with 11:08 remaining in the third quarter of the Browns' 27-0 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday. He sustained the injury when teammate Kareem Hunt fell into his knee as he was going to the ground at the end of a 1-yard run.

"Yeah, Jed's played some really strong games for us," Stefanski said Monday. "I thought he was playing well in that last one yesterday as well. So disappointed for him, but I know he'll work really hard and we'll get him back out there."

Wills was one of two Browns players to suffer significant injuries against the Cardinals. Receiver Marquise Goodwin is in concussion protocol.

James Hudson III came in to replace Wills, as he had done over the final 1:24 of the first half when Wills also left with an injury to his other knee. Hudson, a third-year pro out of the University of Cincinnati, had been the swing tackle for the first seven-plus games.

Hudson likely will start in Wills' place Sunday when the Browns (5-3) travel to Baltimore for a critical AFC North showdown with the division-leading Ravens (7-2). The only other tackles on the active roster are starting right tackle Dawand Jones and Leroy Watson, who was signed off the San Francisco 49ers practice squad on Thursday.

Stefanski didn't dismiss out of hand the idea of flipping Jones to the left side and putting Hudson at right tackle.

"We'll work through all those things this week," Stefanski said. "Just talk with the coaches about it and then practice, but we have options."

Former first-round draft pick Alex Leatherwood is also on the Browns' practice squad.

Wills, a fourth-year former first-round draft pick out of the University of Alabama, is the second starting tackle the Browns have lost to a knee injury this season. Right tackle Jack Conklin was lost for the season in the opener against the Cincinnati Bengals when he tore the ACL and MCL in his left knee.

The similarities between the two tackles' injuries extend to how they occurred. Both had a player — Hunt for Wills; Bengals defensive end Trey Hendricksen for Conklin — roll into their knee, causing the injury.

The Browns picked up Wills' fifth-year option for next season at a salary of $14.175 million on May 1. They restructured his deal in late August, converting $2.286 million of his base salary for this season into a signing bonus while adding three void years to the back end of the deal.

Wills started all 17 games last season. It was the first time he did so in his career, despite dealing with an ankle injury suffered in a Week 3 win over Pittsburgh and a back issue that flared up in a Week 16 loss to the New Orleans.

Wills was a member of the NFL All-Rookie team after playing in 15 regular-season and both playoff games for the Browns, while grading out at a 62.6 overall and a career-best 77.6 pass blocking. He played in 98% of the Browns' offensive snaps, but was flagged a career-high 11 times, including eight times for false starts.

A second-year step forward was expected for Wills, who had not played left tackle before getting to the NFL. However, an ankle injury sustained in the season opener at Kansas City lingered throughout the season, costing him two games.

Wills also missed two games in December of that season due to a COVID outbreak on the team. He played just 90% of the Browns' offensive snaps while appearing in 13 games, yet had a career-best PFF grade of 66.1 overall.

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on Twitter at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Jedrick Wills Jr. has non-season-ending MCL injury in right knee