BEREA, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. was back on the practice field Friday, an indication he is preparing to play this Sunday against the Bears.
Wills is listed as questionable after sitting out practice Wednesday and Thursday to rest an ankle injury he suffered in the second quarter of a Week 1 loss at Kansas City.
Wills hopes the injury won’t be something he’ll have to deal with for the remainder of the season.
“They have been monitoring me during practice, the reps and stuff like that to make sure that I do not keep aggravating it, but I am hoping that it gets better very soon,” Wills said.
Wills also missed two days of practice last week and played into the third quarter of Sunday’s 31-21 win over the Texans before giving way to Blake Hance.
“What I did in pregame with the training staff, the equipment staff, the strength and conditioning and everybody, kind of just checked it out,” Wills said. “Felt good enough to play so why not?”
Wills worked through the individual and positional drills during the portion of practice open to reporters Friday morning.
“It is feeling better,” Wills said. “It is my first day out at practice this week. It was cool. I am back in the groove a little bit.”
Legends club – The Browns will induct late quarterback Bill Nelson and linebacker D’Qwell Jackson into the Legends club Sunday.
Jackson started 96 of 97 career games with the Browns spanning the 2006-13 seasons where he registered over 100 tackles five times.
He recorded 532 tackles, eight interceptions, five forced fumbles and scored a touchdown. He received the Ed Block Courage Award (2011), Salute to Service Award (2013), Pro Football Writers of America Dino Lucarelli “Good Guy” Award (2012) and PFWA Joe Thomas Award - Player of the Year (2012).
“It’s a blessing to receive such a great honor,” Jackson said. “It's very humbling and rewarding and all these different things I can't even put in words to express how excited and appreciative I am.
“I was a young man when I was drafted but I matured there. I met a lot of great people, some of them are still there and I try to keep in touch with them as much as possible.”
Nelsen was acquired by the Browns in 1968 after spending his first five seasons with the Steelers. He threw for 9,584 yards and 71 touchdowns in 54 games (50 starts) and earning Pro Bowl recognition in 1969. He ranks eighth in Browns history in pass attempts (1,314), seventh in completions (689), seventh in yards (9,725) and sixth in touchdowns (71).
Nelsen, who resided in Orlando during the final years of his retirement from football, passed away in 2019 at the age of 78.
The 2020 inductees – receiver Webster Slaughter and receiver/returner Josh Cribbs – will also be honored during the halftime ceremony.
Golden guest – The Browns hosted Olympic gold medalist and Olmsted Falls High School alum Katie Nageotte at practice Friday.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski had her speak briefly to the team after practice.
Nageotte won gold in Tokyo this summer in the women's pole vault.
Browns linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah reacts to holding Katie Nageotte's gold medal following practice Friday. Nageotte, an Olmstead Falls High School graduate, won gold in the women's pole vault in Tokyo this summer.Matt Starkey-Cleveland Browns
Super Wild Card Weekend extended – The NFL announced that they are adding a Monday night playoff game on Super Wild Card Weekend.
The winner will play a divisional playoff game the following Sunday.
Injury report – OUT: OT Chris Hubbard (triceps), LB Sione Takitaki (hamstring); QUESTIONABLE: C J.C. Tretter (knee), LT Jedrick Wills (ankle); EXPECTED TO PLAY: WR Odell Beckham Jr. (knee), QB Baker Mayfield (left shoulder), WR Anthony Schwartz (knee), LB Malcolm Smith (knee), LG Joel Bitonio (back), DE Jadeveon Clowney (knee), RT Jack Conklin (knee), LB Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah (knee), RB Demetric Felton (hip), LB Tony Fields II (illness)
