Though the Cleveland Browns are expected to get LT Jedrick Wills back at some point this season, he won’t be around for the team’s rematch against the Pittsburgh Steelers two weeks from now. According to Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Wills suffered an MCL sprain in Sunday’s win over the Arizona Cardinals and will be placed on IR. He will miss at least the next four games.
UPDATE (12:46 PM): Per NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Wills is expected to be out the next six weeks with MCL and PCL injuries.
For the Browns, it’s a best-case-scenario. Wills suffered a scary-looking injury Sunday, getting his leg rolled up underneath him, and was put into an air cast and carted off the field. Often, those signal a season-ending injury but it seems Wills avoided a torn ACL that would’ve knocked him out for the year.
Still, Cleveland will be forced to turn to other options until he returns. The Browns are expected to replace him with swingman James Hudson, a former mid-round draft pick who has started seven career games (including one against T.J. Watt where he allowed four sacks).
It means both of the Browns’ starting tackles this season suffered IR-worthy knee injuries. Right tackle Jack Conklin was lost for the year in Week One due to a serious knee injury. He was replaced by mammoth rookie Dawand Jones, who has held his own.
Pittsburgh will take on Cleveland in Week 11, a Nov. 19 game. In their first matchup, the Steelers came out on top 26-22 thanks to Alex Highsmith beating Wills around the edge to strip/sack QB Deshaun Watson. T.J. Watt scooped up the loose football and ran it into the end zone. Highsmith has had success against Wills throughout his career but he’ll have the clear matchup advantage versus Hudson two weeks from today.
