Jedrick Wills entered a contract year in a tough spot, returning from a knee injury with no guarantee he'd be ready to roll in Week 1.
He didn't end up playing until Week 3, and didn't participate in every offensive snap until Week 5. When he chose to sit out of the Cleveland Browns' upset win over the Baltimore Ravens on Oct. 27 due to a lingering injury affecting the same knee, Wills described it as a
Such a decision appears to have cost him his job. Second-year tackle Dawand Jones replaced Wills in Week 8 and received the start in Week 9. Cleveland seems set to maintain the status quo going forward, but not without some clarity.
"It was a poor choice of words," Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said Wednesday of Wills' remark. "I know the connotation of 'business decision.' That's not how he meant it. He did not feel like he was near 100% to help us. But a poor choice of words and he understands it."
In common parlance, a "business decision" usually suggests an individual is avoiding risking injury in order to preserve his earning power. Seeing as Wills is in a contract year, it made plenty of sense to interpret his comments accordingly, and also to surmise his choice led to his benching.
Stefanski clarified Wills' benching was not related to his decision, nor his comments. But Jones will continue to man the starting spot on the left side, leaving Wills in a strange place in a financially crucial moment in his career.
The average fan might look at Wills' pedigree -- a former first-round pick out of Alabama who has started at least half of a season or more for two playoff teams -- and expect him to command significant money in the offseason. But Wills' performance has largely fallen short of expectation in his career. Pro Football Focus' grades back this sentiment, handing him average or worse marks in each of his five seasons.
He's on a fast track toward becoming a swing tackle mercenary type in his next stop(s). And with Cleveland having another long-term option in Jones, it likely won't be pressed to throw money at Wills to keep him around -- especially not after he's handled his current situation haphazardly.
Because injuries happen all the time in the NFL, it's safe to expect to see Wills on the field again at some point this season. But where he might play in 2025 remains to be seen -- and might not come with the compensation most would expect for a former first-round pick.
