Former Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Jedrick Wills Jr. is set to return to action in the 2024 NFL season after suffering a torn MCL late in the 2023 season. The No. 10 overall selection from the 2020 NFL draft has been one of the best young linemen in the league since he joined the Cleveland Browns.
Wills is nearing the end of his rookie contract and recently received a restructured deal from the team to impact the franchise’s cap room. However, he is due for an extension, unless the Browns went to run the risk of losing him to free agency soon.
ESPN NFL writer Aaron Schatz recently broke down one move every NFL team should make before the start of the 2024 regular season (subscription required). He argues that Cleveland’s front office should move quickly to secure Wills for future seasons.
“Wills’ contract was restructured this offseason to give the Browns some cap room, and it now has a bunch of void years tossed onto the end of it. But effectively, the Browns will lose their left tackle after 2024 without giving him a new deal. Yes, Wills is coming off a torn MCL, but he has been one of the top young tackles in the league. Last season, he ranked eighth among tackles in pass block win rate (92.4%).”
Offensive linemen don’t have flashy stats or highlight-worthy plays, but, as Schatz mentions, Wills has been successful in pass protection, ranking among the elites of the NFL.
Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow former Alabama players in the NFL and Alabama Football news as the 2024 offseason progresses.
Contact/Follow us @RollTideWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Alabama news, notes and opinion. You can also follow AJ Spurr on X @SpurrFM.