D'Qwell

Jackson

Projected starter Chaun Thompson is battling a strained left calf.

Wimbley is undergoing a position change and is competing with Chaun Thompson at outside linebacker. At worst, he’ll be a third-down specialist. Jackson is expected to start from week one and is a great IDP sleeper.

The rookie is starting in place of an injured Chaun Thompson, but we won’t be surprised if Jackson stays with the first team when Thompson returns.

He’s maintained his starting job despite a push from veteran Chaun Thompson. Jackson is someone to monitor for IDP purposes.

The AFC’s Defensive Player of the Month is playing on an incentive-laden one-year, $4.75 million contract. The Cleveland Plain Dealer’s Mary Kay Cabot believes discussions will begin in earnest during the season. Both sides want Jackson back with the Browns long-term.

He got $16.8 million in the first two years, including a $7 million signing bonus and fully guaranteed salaries of $3.4 million (2012) and $3.6 million (2013). Jackson’s guarantees, aside from one small injury-only “guarantee” on his 2014 salary, stop after the first two seasons, and he’s due a third-year non-guaranteed $4 million roster bonus. That’s when the NFL’s new TV money kicks in, but the Browns can get out of the contract easily after two years.

“I really liked what I saw when (Hillis) was healthy,” said coach Pat Shurmur, highlighting the crux of the problem. The Browns aren’t going to meet Hillis’ long-term contract demands if they can’t trust him to stay out of the trainers’ room. The front office is reportedly split on keeping Hillis, leaving the franchise tag as a $7.7 million one-year compromise. It’s a steep price to pay for a back with declining production and effectiveness over the past year and a half.

Of the Browns’ own free agents, Jackson has been identified as the top priority. The front office would like to lock him into a long-term deal before the franchise tag deadline in early March, though that’s easier said than done on a five-year asking price.

This could explain why the Browns are leaning toward making the questionable decision of franchise tagging Jackson. Although Jackson led the AFC in tackles in 2011, he has no chance of landing a long-term commitment entering his age-29 campaign after missing a combined 26 games with injury in 2009-10.

“We’re working really hard on this and hopefully we can get something done,’' agent Brian Mackler said. “We’re working hard on it every day.’' Mackler met with Browns chief negotiator Matt Thomas on Friday and has until March 5 to reach a long-term deal with the Browns. If nothing gets done by that date, a source confirmed that the Browns will franchise Jackson.