BEREA, Ohio — Entering this week of practice, the Browns had a few players sidelined dealing with injuries; the most obvious absence was that of left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. For the first time since his knee injury in November of last year, Wills returned to the practice fields in Berea.
In fact, all of the Browns players on the active roster were on the fields Wednesday as the team prepares for their season and home opener against the Dallas Cowboys.
But while Wills returned to practice, it was limited. Wills participated in individual drills to start practice, joining the offensive line in work for the first time but not participating in full team drills.
"Just trying to get some [individual] in, see how it goes and move forward from there," Wills said before practice.
The Browns have not formally announced the plan at left tackle for Sunday's game. Wills is on the active roster and listed as the starting left tackle on the Browns' unofficial depth chart—but according to him, he won't be on the
field Sunday.
"Oh no, I won't be. I'm not starting this week. I'm just going out there for indy and seeing how it feels and get back into things," Wills said.
On Thursday, Wills was not at practice during the open portion, working in the indoor weight room.
The Browns have several options to choose from on the line, including sliding tackle Jack Conklin over to the left side to replace Wills and starting Dawand Jones at right tackle. Conklin hasn't played the left side since college, back in 2015, but he's confident that he could play there should the Browns move him over.
"It's different, but I did it in college. It's definitely just getting the mentality of mostly just verbiage. The thought of everything one way and it's just flipping it in your head. So again, maybe it's just a little second more thought when I hear the play just to make sure I'm thinking of it as out the left side compared to the right," Conklin said of playing on the left.
Getting the verbiage and concepts on the other side of the line starts in the classroom and then translates onto the field. For Conklin, who was sidelined through training camp as he rehabbed a knee injury of his own, this offseason has held plenty of classroom time while he was away from the field. That is something that could prove beneficial if he's asked to start at left tackle.
“A lot, we talk a lot—especially football nowadays—with guys, practices are becoming less and less because injuries and stuff. So it's a lot of just getting those mental reps and that goes a long ways. More than people think," he said.
There's confidence among the offensive line in whatever the team decides to do, especially in their veteran teammate Conklin.
"Jack's a pro, he's super smart and we got great coaches coaching him up so I think if he would do great if he had to play left tackle," said center Ethan Pocic.
“We have three guys that are either trying to get back or working to get back practicing. We had three guys out there at practice yesterday, which is the first time we've done that all season. Three guys that are working to try and get out there. I have faith in all of them. All of them have played a lot of football and we're going to game plan. We know they have great edges. We know that's some of the strengths of their team, but we have faith in all those guys and all those guys have worked hard to either get healthy or to work on their practice," said guard Joel Bitonio. "James is out there every day and going against Myles Garrett in practice. I think he's in that category of good rushers. Jack has played left tackle in the past and obviously Jed has [been] there for the last four years. We have capable guys, and whoever it is, the guys this week will be ready to go.”
The Browns also have the option of James Hudson III at left tackle, but for now, the team is taking it day by day and seeing where the health of their players lands ahead of Sunday's game.
"That whole scenario, we're taking that thing day by day and seeing where things shake out as we go throughout the week but these guys have been working their tails off," said offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey. "We're, I think, in a good spot in terms of whoever's out there playing for us."
