Browns OT Jedrick Wills Jr. Benched After ‘Business Decision’ to Sit with Knee Injury

Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. has been benched after choosing to sit out against the Baltimore Ravens due to a hyperextended knee injury.

The injury, affecting a previously injured knee, originally occurred in Week 7 against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Wills Jr. said he made a “business decision” to sit out, a choice the team seemingly did not support. He was then informed that he would be benched in favor of second-year tackle Dawand Jones, who moved from right tackle to take his spot, according to ESPN.

“It was pretty shocking,” Wills Jr. said on Monday, per ESPN. “I mean, I decided myself. I made a business decision not to play after the Bengals game going into that Ravens game because I was injured. And then the next week is when I received the news.”

Following the Browns 29-24 upset over the Baltimore Ravens – during the game that Wills Jr. chose to sit out – head coach Kevin Stefanski told him that he would not be the starter moving forward and would serve as a “swing” tackle, per ESPN.

“I’m not trying to say anything about [Wills],” Stefanski said last week, per ESPN. “I’m just trying to put Dawand out there and let him get better. Jed is still a player that we believe in, and right now he’s got to be ready to go.”

Wills Jr. believes the Browns may have misinterpreted his decision to sit out and is frustrated with the team’s response.

“I think upset isn’t a good word to use,” Wills Jr. said, according to ESPN. “I would say it’s more frustrating. But, I mean, it’s not my decision. I can only do what I can do.”

Wills Jr. insisted that he did not want to take the field unless he was at 100 percent and able to his full effort.

“You wouldn’t want to go out there and put forth 70% of your effort while you’re injured, and then you have somebody else who can go out there and give 100%,” he said, according to ESPN. “I don’t want to be out there the whole time thinking about my knee. I got to focus on my assignment.”

Whether the Browns and Wills Jr. will remain together next season is certainly up in the air for the 25-year-old out of Alabama.

“I like wherever I’m wanted,” he said. “You know what I mean?”

The Browns will travel to New Orleans to face the Saints on Sunday, with Wills Jr. expected to come off the bench.