Browns ‘likely’ to pick up Jedrick Wills’ 5th year option

All of a sudden, a month after the season ended and the week before the NFL combine, things are happening for the Cleveland Browns.

On Tuesday, the team fired special teams coordinator Mike Priefer, set up interviews with Bubba Ventrone and Anthony Blevins to fill that position and, reportedly, hired Utah State’s defensive coordinator as their new safeties coach.

With just a few days to plan their trip to Indianapolis, Cleveland has open positions on their staff in all areas. Besides the special teams coordinator, the Browns lost their QB coach, defensive line coach and defensive line coach this offseason.

Then we get to the actual roster. We have you covered with player profiles, news on free agents, rumors and more all right here. Included in that is our report about Jedrick Wills’ fifth-year option cost. Fans were mostly unhappy with the idea that the team seemed destined to pick up that option.

Now comes a report from Mary Kay Cabot saying Cleveland is likely to do so:

The Browns were pleased with Wills’ progress in 2022 and will likely pick up the option for 2024.

Still just 23 years old, Wills “progress in 2022” could be debated but his upside is still obvious. Similar to TE David Njoku, continued development for a young prospect is easier to project the younger they are.

Pro Football Focus graded Wills as a 62.9 overall, much better as a pass protector than a run blocker. Given the NFL’s tendency toward pass orientation, that is probably a positive thing.

Cleveland has until early summer to make a decision on Wills’ option. As our Tom Moore pointed out, they did so for players like Denzel Ward in April so there is time for them to evaluate their decision.