Former first-round pick, offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr., has missed a significant part of the last two NFL seasons due to injuries. He is currently struggling with a knee injury he suffered in November 2023.
However, an NFL insider recently shared a concerning update on Wills’ injury ahead of the 2025 NFL season.
When Will Jedrick Wills Jr. Return From Injury?
The Cleveland Browns selected Wills as the No. 10 overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. The Alabama product quickly became a crucial member of the offensive line. He started 45 games in the first three seasons.
However, he picked up a medial collateral ligament injury in Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season and was sidelined for the remainder of the season following arthroscopic surgery on his knee. He returned to the gridiron in Week 3 of the following season.
The 26-year-old then suffered a hyperextended knee in Week 7, and his knee issues prevented him from making more than five appearances last season. Wills started 12 out of only 13 games he played in the last two seasons.
According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, Wills is expected to sit out most of the 2025 NFL season, if not all.
“Sources: Free agent OT Jedrick Wills, who dealt with a lingering knee injury last season, is planning to sit out most — or possibly all — of the upcoming season to fully recover and get back to 100%,” he tweeted.
“Wills, the former #Browns’ top 10 pick, has drawn interest from multiple teams and is still just 26 years old — but he believes taking this time off is the best move for the long-term future of his career.”
Sources: Free agent OT Jedrick Wills, who dealt with a lingering knee injury last season, is planning to sit out most — or possibly all — of the upcoming season to fully recover and get back to 100%.
Wills, the former #Browns’ top 10 pick, has drawn interest from multiple teams… pic.twitter.com/WOajGkKheQ
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 2, 2025
Wills played 960 offensive snaps and 68 snaps with the special teams in 15 games in his rookie season. It dropped to 763 offensive snaps and 24 snaps with the special teams in 13 games during the following season. After 1,154 offensive snaps and 63 snaps with the special teams in 2022, injuries prevented him from showing his true potential.
Wills signed a four-year rookie contract with the Browns in 2020, and the franchise exercised his fifth-year option in May 2023. Although Wills is currently an unrestricted free agent and has drawn interest from multiple teams, he appears to be focused on giving his body more time to heal.
Franchises will likely wait for Wills’ green light before extending any offers. He has the potential to elevate any offensive line and could join a contending team during the final stretch of the upcoming season if he recovers.