The Chicago Bears made waves with their latest acquisition: offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. It's a bold move, considering Wills sat out the entire 2025 season to recover from an MCL injury sustained in 2024. Now, he's back and ready to compete for the Bears' starting left tackle position.
Wills, speaking with confidence, shared, "I’m coming in and just trying to prove what I can do, see where that takes me. I’ve been working my a** off to get healthy. I got great confidence in what I can do."
Originally the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cleveland Browns, Wills quickly established himself by starting 57 of 58 games in his first five seasons, primarily at left tackle. However, the 2023 and 2024 seasons were challenging, with injuries limiting him to just 13 games. After the Browns opted not to re-sign him in 2025, Wills took the year to fully recover and inked a one-year, $1.2 million deal with the Bears.
As Wills enters the Bears' roster, he'll be vying for the starting left tackle spot against Braxton Jones and Theo Benedet. The position was initially expected to be filled by Ozzy Trapilo, who's currently recovering from an injury sustained during the NFC Wild Card game against the Packers.
Wills' journey is one to watch closely. His comeback could be pivotal for the Bears' offensive line, and if he returns to form, it could be a game-changer for Chicago's season.