Former Browns top-10 draft pick considering sitting out all of 2025 and it may end up saving his career

Wills, the former 10th overall pick from the 2020 NFL Draft, suffered a knee injury during the 2024 season which helped limit him to just five games played in his fifth season in Cleveland. It was the fewest number of games Wills played in a season for the Browns. 

Cleveland placed the fifth-year option on Wills in 2023, extending his rookie contract through the 2024 season, and allowed the 26-year old to enter free agency this offseason. Per Schultz, multiple teams have reached out to Wills about playing this season, but the decision to take most-if not all-of 2025 off is for long-term purposes.

Wills was placed on the Reserve/Injured list by the Browns in December of 2024, but his time with the club really ended before that when he was removed from the starting lineup. The Alabama product never lived up to expectations as a top-10 pick with his original team, and entering free agency while still injured was not going to net him a worthwhile second contract.

Cleveland may've seen firsthand how Wills played, but so long as he's active in the NFL, his draft status should help him garner opportunities to play for needy clubs. Whenever he gets healthy enough to play again, he'll have the chance to redeem his career and get back on track.

All it takes is playing decently well for a stretch of games. The potential of being viewed as a starter, and the salary that comes with it, will follow.

That's the hope for Wills. The Browns have moved on without him, but his career will resume when he's ready to play again.