Free agent offensive tackle Jedrick Wills, the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft out of Alabama and a five-year starter for the Cleveland Browns, is actively meeting with teams ahead of the new league year.
Reporter Jordan Schultz reported on Thursday that Wills “has been on a tour of visits with NFL teams,” including stops with the New England Patriots and the Detroit Lions. More visits are expected to run into next week.
Wills, who is just 26 years old, sat out the entire 2025 season to recover from a lingering knee injury but fully expects to be with an NFL team when the season kicks off.
New England Patriots Make Sense on Multiple Levels for the Young Tackle
Jedrick Wills Jr. converts contract to help Cleveland Browns.
Jedrick Wills Jr. converts contract to help Cleveland Browns.
New England head coach Mike Vrabel spent the 2024 season with the Cleveland Browns as a consultant, giving him direct familiarity with Wills and how he works.
The Patriots have an established starter at left tackle in 2025 fourth overall pick Will Campbell, a 22-year-old who started all 17 regular season games in his rookie year. But New England’s offensive line allowed 68 sacks over 21 games last season, and the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks was particularly rough.
Wills would not be coming in to replace Campbell. He would be coming in as depth, competition, or a right-side option. Veteran right tackle Morgan Moses is under contract through 2028, but New England has over $41 million in available cap space heading into free agency. Adding a proven former top-10 pick at a modest cost fits the profile of what Vrabel tends to do.
Sources: Former #Browns OT Jedrick Wills, who sat out last season to fully recover from a knee injury, has been on a tour of visits with NFL teams — including the #Patriots and today with the #Lions. Visits are expected to continue into next week.
A former top-10 pick, Wills —… pic.twitter.com/6vQiDaLXni
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) March 5, 2026
Detroit Lions Have a Clear Role Available Despite Taylor Decker’s Return
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Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) heads back to the huddle after a play during the first half of an NFL football game against the New York Giants at Huntington Bank Field, Sunday, Sept. 22, 2024, in Cleveland, Ohio.
Detroit’s situation is a little different. Left tackle Taylor Decker, 32, confirmed he will return for an 11th season after a prolonged offseason of uncertainty. He had considered retirement after dealing with a shoulder injury that kept him out of three games in 2025.
Even with Decker back, head coach Dan Campbell was direct at the Combine:
“If it’s not (Decker returning), then we’ve got to find a guy. But if it is, we’ve still going to find a guy. Because as much as I love Deck, he’s got some things that are going to need some management.”
Detroit lost their swing tackle Dan Skipper to retirement this offseason, and that vacancy is real. Right tackle Penei Sewell is locked in, and Decker returns on the left side, but the depth behind them is thin. Wills as a veteran swing option covering both sides would directly address that need.
The Lions have the 17th overall pick and may spend it on a long-term tackle. But the draft and a veteran signing are not mutually exclusive moves for a team in a Super Bowl window.
Wills started 57 games across five seasons for the Browns, almost entirely at left tackle, before knee problems derailed him in 2023 and 2024.
He played just 13 games over those two seasons combined before deciding a full year off was the right call. His age works in his favor here. Most teams will not treat him as a finished product.
Schultz noted that visits are expected to continue into next week, meaning the Patriots and Lions are not the only teams involved. A decision could come quickly once the league year opens March 11.