Browns’ recent roster move likely waved the white flag for a former first-round pick’s career in Cleveland

The list of things that have gone according to plan for the Cleveland Browns this season is very small. They are at the bottom of the AFC North with a 3-10 record and have suffered an abundance of injuries, including losing quarterback Deshaun Watson for the season once again.

Cleveland had high hopes for another player in a contract year this season, but that has gone to the wayside. Offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. is in the final year of his rookie contract and we very may have seen his last bit of ball played in Cleveland.

The Browns placed Wills on the injured reserve before their game against the Pittsburgh Steelers where they lost 27-14. Defensive tackle Maurice Hurst was placed on the IR as well.

Wills’ time in Cleveland has been disappointing, to say the least. The former first-round pick has never been able to put together the consistency to be the franchise left tackle for the Browns. The former Alabama standout’s knee did not receive as hoped following the injury and surgery that took place last season. Wills played in five games for the Browns this year with four starts. Last season, Wills made eight starts for Cleveland.

Going on the IR, Wills is now forced to miss four games. He would be eligible to return in Week 18 when the Browns travel to play the Ravens, but it is hard to see the Browns trotting him out there. Cleveland gave the starting left tackle job to Dawand Jones earlier in the season before he was lost for the year, then turned to veteran Germain Ifedi when he went down. Wills said that he made a “business decision” not to play in Week 8 and the writing was on the wall then. 

After being the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Wills started 57 of 58 career games with the Browns. 2022 was the only full season that Wills had where he played in all 17 games with Cleveland.

It is an unfortunate ending for Wills in Cleveland if this is it. The Browns had hoped he could show enough this season to warrant bringing him back. That has not happened and Cleveland would be smart to address left tackle differently after this season.