BEREA — The last time the Browns were truly healthy along the offensive line was sometime early in the second quarter of the season opener. That would be the 2023 season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals.

At that point, Jack Conklin suffered a knee injury from which he still hasn't returned to game action. By the middle of last December, both Jedrick Wills Jr. and Conklin's replacement, Dawand Jones, were also sidelined by knee injuries, all part of a season-long offensive line shuffling caused by various injuries.

Three games into the new season, that shuffling has only continued. Conklin remains out, with a hamstring injury the latest issue to prevent his return.

The Browns lost right guard Wyatt Teller to a MCL sprain in Sunday's 21-15 loss to the New York Giants, and that landed him on the injured reserve list Wednesday. Both Wills (knee) and James Hudson III (shoulder) left that game as well in the third quarter.

For a group that prizes cohesion, there's been almost none. It's not going to start this week as the Browns prepare to play at the Las Vegas Raiders, either.

"It's tough," Jones said Wednesday. "Like I said, our chemistry is good off the field and it's definitely tough when you're throwing different bodies on the field. But I feel like the chemistry from off the field carries onto the field and it kind of helps our game out no matter what. Zak (Zinter) had [to] fill in for Wyatt, James had to fill in for me, and we have to just keep pushing. It's the only thing we can do."

It more about the uncertainty than the chemistry for the offensive line right now. It's not known from one week to the next who may or may not be available just because of the various ailments that have arisen.

Late last week it seemed as if the Browns were going to be getting their full group of linemen back against the Giants, with Wills and Conklin both listed as questionable for the game, but having practiced for most of the week. Then Conklin suffered a hamstring injury Friday that downgraded him to out, but that was only the start.

The Giants game was devastating in some regards for the line. It's created more doubt this week, with Wills and Conklin not practicing on Wednesday, and Hudson and Jones were both limited in practice due to their own injuries.

"Definitely difficult knowing that we have that group," Wills said. "We've had a lot of starts together. So, I mean, when we're all out together, it's always going to be tough. But they've done a good job, like you said, the way they stepped up and finished that game, man. I know we didn't win, but they did a really good job. So it shows a lot about what they stand for."

Wills said Wednesday he was "trying" to play against the Raiders. The first thing is him getting back onto the practice field this week.

The fifth-year left tackle, at the least, received a significant scare with the latest injury when New York's Kayvon Thibodeaux rolled up onto Wills' right knee, the same one he injured a year ago.

"I mean, it definitely felt like [expletive] when it happened," Wills said. "It hurt a little bit but, yeah, a little bit of both. I mean, it sucks to have that as soon I come back after working as hard to get back and it happens again. But I'm just glad that it wasn't anything worse."

What was worse was what happened to Teller, who is going on injured reserve for the first time in his career. It was a case of friendly fire that led to a sprained MCL in his right knee, as Jones fell into it as he was pushed back by the Giants rush on a failed field goal try.

That led to Zinter getting his first true test as a rookie. The first two weeks, specifically Week 2 at the Jacksonville Jaguars, he had been entirely used as a muscle tight end in heavy formations.

Then, in the third quarter of his third NFL game, Zinter found himself in a much different situation.

"I'm standing there for a whole half and then you get thrown in there and you got to go block [Giants defensive tackle] Dexter Lawrence, you know what I mean?" Zinter said. "There's definitely some stuff I need to clean up and can do that, but overall I thought it played decent."

Zinter should have the benefit of a full week's worth of preparation to take on a Raiders defensive front that includes Christian Wilkins, another talented tackle. Meanwhile, whoever the Browns end up starting at left tackle will have to prepare for the potential of another in a line of elite edge rushers in Maxx Crosby, assuming Crosby plays.

Crosby, like Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett, has been battling an injury that has hampered him of late. His is an ankle injury that kept him out of practice Wednesday.

Someone who could end up being asked to block Crosby is Germain Ifedi, who wasn't even on the active roster last week. Ifedi was elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster the first two games, then remained on the practice squad last week.

Ifedi was signed to the active roster on Wednesday when Teller went on the injured reserve list. Whether or not he definitively is going to play Sunday is something he said he can't worry about during the week.

"Just prepare as if you're going to be the guy that week, even if you're not, if you're not up, even if you're not dressed, you have to prepare that way and have to have that mindset," Ifedi said. "You got to have kind of a delusional mindset in a way, so just so whatever does happen – it's the NFL, crazy things happen – whatever does happen, you're always ready for it.

"When your number is called upon, if it's called upon, it's not called upon, whatever that may be, you're ready to produce. because that's what we have to have."

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: Browns offensive linemen 'pushing' through growing injury concerns