Last season, the Cleveland Browns had one of the worst offensive lines in the NFL. Cleveland allowed 66 sacks, putting them two sacks below the Chicago Bears, who allowed 68. Part of the Browns' issues along the offensive line in 2024 stemmed from injuries. At multiple points in the season, Cleveland was missing at least two linemen who were projected to be starters in 2024.
Left tackle Jedrick Wills, a former top-ten pick, was one of the Browns' linemen who missed most of the season. Due to a serious knee injury, Wills only played in five games last year. That injury, paired with his less-than-stellar performance the first five years of his career, led Cleveland to move on from him to start this offseason.
That said, the 26-year-old still has yet to find a job. While he hasn't quite lived up to expectations, he's not been bad enough to warrant him being out of the league, so the fact that Wills remains jobless is surprising. However, on Monday afternoon, Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports shed some light on the situation.
According to Schultz, "Wills is planning to sit out most if not all of the 2025 season to fully recover." He added," Wills believes taking this time off is the best move for the long-term future of his career."
Former Browns LT Jedrick Wills to Miss 2025 Season to Fully Recover From Injury
Wills opting to take a year off to fully recover from his injury is the smartest move he can make. Since entering the league in 2020, the 26-year-old has gotten worse instead of better. Taking a year off to recover will allow Wills to go back and critically asses his game tape and see what he needs to improve on to play deep into his thirties.
The one and only season that Wills played all 17 games was 2022, and it didn't end great. That year, he allowed six sacks, 11 QB hits, 24 QB hurries, and 41 QB pressures. Furthermore, he recorded a pass blocking grade of 69.6 (59th of 140), a run blocking grade of 55.3 (96th of 140), and an overall grade of 62.9 (76th of 140).
That level of performance is unlikely to ever earn Wills the reputation as a reliable starter. Sitting out a year not only allows him a chance to watch tape while recovering, but he also has the chance to gain more muscle. That could allow Wills to look a lot different when he returns in 2026.
Despite things not working out in Cleveland, Wills still has a chance to resurrect his career after sitting out a season.