On the first practice day in preparation for the Dallas Cowboys, the Cleveland Browns had some good news.
Left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. practiced for the first time since last season and it is a major step to getting him back on the field. Wills said he would not be starting on Sunday but did not rule out playing against Dallas.
"It's kind of up in the air," Wills said. "It's just trying to get through today, see what I can do, and move forward from there more than anything."
Not starting is no surprise and would be unfair to ask of Wills, since he will have three days of practice at most and they will not be full at that. A player that has an up-and-down past four seasons, you would not be setting him up for success to roll him out there against Micah Parsons and expect good things with next to no practice.
Tackle Jack Conklin returned to practice for the first time last week and could be an option for the Browns to play at left tackle. Conklin played on the left side in college but has been a right tackle for almost all of his NFL career. With Dawand Jones breaking out last season as a rookie on the right side, finding a spot on the left side could be an option for Conklin if the Browns need him to play there.
"You see him all over the place," Conklin said of Parsons. "He is a great player. They try to get him all over the place, giving everybody problems. We're all going to have to go out and prepare. It's hard to say, but he's a great player and we give him a lot of credit."
The MCL and PCL injury for Wills has been a tough one to come back from, he has not played since last November and was unable to come back in the playoffs like Cleveland originally thought. Swing tackle James Hudson is another option for the Browns to start at left tackle and he held down much of the reps throughout training camp. Cleveland could keep this decision close to the chest and not tip off who is starting until they have to.
Cleveland will still be without running back Nick Chubb and Nyheim Hines against Dallas, but they are on the right track to start the season as healthy as possible. Chubb is on the Physically Unable to Perform List and Hines is on the Non-Football Injury List.
