'All options on the table' for Cleveland Browns at left tackle against Dallas Cowboys

BEREA — The Browns ' left tackle situation will remain somewhat of a mystery for at least a couple more days. If he's called upon to be the answer Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, James Hudson III said he's ready to do his part.

"Absolutely," Hudson said Friday. "Like I said yesterday when we talked, that's kind of been my role on the team these past years. So if the team needs me, I'm ready to go out there and perform."

Hudson may need to based upon Friday's injury designations. The Browns officially ruled Jedrick Wills Jr. out for the game as he continues to return from his knee injury.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked specifically if Hudson was going to start against the Cowboys. He brushed it aside by saying, “We’re gonna work through it in the next 48 hours.”

The other option, alongside Hudson, to start at left tackle would be Jack Conklin. Conklin was listed as questionable as he works through his own return from last season's knee injury, but said, "We’re taking it day by day, we’ll see," when asked about playing in Sunday's game.

Asked if there was a chance both Hudson and Conklin could see time at the position, Stefanski said, “Yeah, I think all options are on the table with that."

Wills was back at practice on Friday, the second time in three days he's been on the field. He returned to practice Wednesday for the first time since suffering the injury to the right knee last Nov. 5 against the Arizona Cardinals.

However, Wills also said in the locker room Wednesday, "I'm not starting this week. I'm just going out there for indy (individual drills) and seeing how it feels and get back into things."

At the time, Wills didn't rule out playing against Dallas, even if he didn't start. Obviously, despite practicing twice in the last three days, that won't happen, even if the Browns were pleased with what progress he's shown.

“Good to get him back out on the field, moving around, getting in the individual drills I think that's really important," Stefanski said. "Continues to put every effort he can into getting back. But very good to see him out there.”

Hudson was option No. 1 through most of the offseason and training camp with Wills and Conklin both sidelined by knee rehabs. However, despite having played the position for two seasons at the University of Cincinnati, he's only played 71 regular-season snaps at the position in the NFL.

There's also the question of Hudson's performance in the preseason. The Browns looked at other options as camp went along due to both his struggles and an ankle injury.

However, Hudson's also become the Browns' No. 1 answer at tackle when an injury arises. Despite making 15 starts over the last three season over 46 regular-season or playoff games, he's never been seen as the long-term starter going into a season.

"I've really fully adapted to it," Hudson said. "I stopped being sorry for myself, getting tossed in a fire or whatever. I just got to, I feel like the progress that I've made is just preparing every game as if I'm going to be the starter. Just going forward, just being ready in case the situation presents itself in the game where I do have to go in."

For Conklin, a start at left tackle would be a first in the NFL, even though that was his position at Michigan State. His only previous professional snaps there in the league were 67 snaps while with the Tennessee Titans in 2016-17, which he acknowledged were in either heavy or unbalanced looks.

Conklin is also continuing his own return from a catastrophic knee injury sustained in the second quarter of last season's opener against the Cincinnati Bengals. He's practiced all this week after returning to the field on Aug. 27 and practicing twice last week.

"Good, good," Conklin said when asked how he responded to the practices. "Getting better and better. Just getting reps in and getting more and more comfortable."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'All options on the table' for Cleveland Browns at left tackle against Dallas Cowboys