Jedrick Wills' first appearance on the practice field since December knee surgery increased the mystery of who will play left tackle against Dallas. James Hudson and Jack Conklin are the most likely candidates. (TheLandOnDemand)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
Takeaways from Browns practice and interviews …
At the first practice of the first week of the real season, the Browns had everybody on their active roster on the field. For the first time since the team kicked off training camp at The Greenbrier Resort in late July, the team was whole.
Even Jedrick Wills made his first appearance on the field since injuring his right knee on November 5.
So … mission accomplished?
All the missed practices in training camp, all the players withheld from the three preseason games, everything seemed for the purpose of having the team in the best possible shape heading into Dallas week.
“The great things take a while to get here,” said linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah. “But we’re all here. We’re all present, active. It’s good to be here.”
“Frustrating? No,” tight end David Njoku said of the ragged camp and preseason. “I don’t think it was frustrating. It gave people the opportunity to compete. You play the cards you’re dealt.”
I asked coach Kevin Stefanski if the management plan of camp and preseason worked to perfection.
“I wouldn’t put it that way,” he said. “I think some of these injuries, this is the natural time of when they were coming back. I mean, think about [cornerback] Greg Newsome. I get a text in the summertime that he needs surgery on his hamstring and just naturally this is the timeframe of when he’s back. So, I think it’s really just based on — think about Dalvin [Thompson] having surgery back in July. It’s just really based on where these guys were in their injury rehab.”
The Browns did list 11 players on their injury report and eight of them were “limited,” meaning they didn’t participate in all periods.
But the positive energy of having everybody working for the first time was palpable.
Left tackle update
Not only was Wills limited, but so was Jack Conklin, his likely replacement. That meant the player taking the most reps at left tackle was … James Hudson.
Which made Deshaun Watson’s pre-practice comments about the left tackle position all the more interesting.
“Yeah, I mean, we got a couple ideas,” Watson said when asked about who might be protecting his blind side in the Dallas game. “Of course, it can be James, it can be Jack. Whoever is in is going to play at a high level. I have trust in both of those guys and whoever else is in that rotation. And yeah, we just have to see on Sunday with who we roll out there with and whoever we roll out there with is going to play at a high level with the other four guys and we’re going to be ready to roll.”
Hudson said, “I’m either or [left or right tackle]. I’m not sure [if I’m playing]. I’m just going through the week.”
Conklin said, “I’m working through it and just letting the [left] knee do all the talking. I’m taking it day by day, but it’s feeling better and better.”
Stefanski was typically non-commital. “Let’s just get through today,” he said.
Stefanski answered “yes” when asked if Wills could play on Sunday. But Wills pretty much ruled himself out when he said, “I’m not starting this week. I’m just going in for indy’s [individual drills] to see how it feels and to get back into things.”
Wills speaks
For the first time, Wills shed light on the knee injury he suffered in Game 9 against Arizona last year. Originally, the Browns classified the injury as non-season ending. But after it didn’t heal on its own, Wills had surgery five weeks later.
“Originally, it was no surgery and just rehab,” Wills said. “Later on they found out I needed a ‘scope. It was more than an MCL [tear].
“It was pretty frustrating, but I’m doing alright mentally. It was pretty tough, but when [crap] gets tough you have to push through it.”
Wills has been a target of ridicule by fans and some in media who questioned whether he was taking his good old time to get back on the field. Such talk rolls off his back.
“I don’t care at all,” he said. “I’ll be honest. Everybody has their own opinion. If it were easy, everybody could do it. It’s tough.”
Brownie bits
The Cowboys will have two rookie starters on their offensive line, Tyler Guyton at left tackle and Cooper Beebe at center. I asked end Za’Darius Smith if defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is licking his chops at the prospect of attacking two players making their NFL debuts. “You know he’s drawing up something special, possibly to the right side with the younger guys,” Smith said. “You know who’s going to be on the right side [Myles Garrett]. Hopefully, we’ll have a party in the backfield all game.” …
Watson said he has “no limitations” on throwing the ball after his rehab from shoulder surgery in November. He brushed off the day at practice last week when Stefanski shut him down from throwing because of “general soreness.” “I could have finished the practice,” Watson said, “but it was the medical’s decision where they just told me, any type of soreness or anything you’re feeling, then just, we’re going to take the high road and not try to push anything to make anything further. The key is to play 17-plus games, not finish training camp, and try to be, you know, superhero at the time. So that was pretty much it. But so far, I’ve been well and just taking it one day at a time.”