Browns Starting Left Tackle Remains A Mystery Before Matchup With Giants

The Browns are hoping to get reinforcements along the offensive line against the Giants with Jedrick Wills and Jack Conklin practicing this week

Cleveland Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. has the task of blocking defensive end Myles Garrett during training camp on Friday, Aug. 5, 2022 in Berea. Akr 8 5 Browns 6 | PHIL MASTURZO / USA TODAY NETWORK

For a third straight week the Cleveland Browns starting left tackle spot comes with a bit a mystery.

Following Cleveland's final practice of the week on Friday, the team revealed their injury designations for Sunday's matchup with the New York Giants. Both Jack Conklin and Jedrick Wills were listed as questionable leading into the weekend.

Conklin has had the same designation each of the first two weeks of the season as he continued to work his way back from a season-ending knee injury last year, but wound up not playing in either game. Wills was ruled out well in advance of the first two games.

#Browns have announced the following injury designations for Week 3:

Jack Conklin: questionable
Jedrick Wills: Questionable
David Njoku: Out
Pierre Strong: Out

— 𝚂𝚙𝚎𝚗𝚌𝚎𝚛 𝙶𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚊𝚗 (@Spencito_) September 20, 2024

This week represented a major step forward for Conklin specifically, who practiced fully for the first time this season on Wednesday. That trend continued on Thursday and Friday for the 30-year-old, who was a full participant for a full week of practice for the first time since Week 1 of last season. Wills was limited each day of practice this week.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski wouldn't elaborate on the tackle situation ahead of Sunday, other than to deliver his usual line about using the next couple days to see where both players feel. He did add, however, that if both Conklin and Wills are ready to go they know who will start ta left tackle.

Meanwhile, the Browns announced that tight end David Njoku would also be out for the team's matchup with the Giants. The Pro Bowl tight end has been nursing an ankle injury suffered in Week 2 of the season and sat out last week as well. Stefanski made it known that Njoku was unlikely to play earlier in the week.

Backup running back Pierre Strong Jr. is also out via the team's Week 3 injury report. He exited last weeks' win over the Jaguars with a hamstring injury and didn't practice due to the ailment all week.