Dawgs By Nature
The Browns are banking on Dawand Jones settling in at left tackle.
The Cleveland Browns have experienced long periods of uncertainty over the years, but for 11 years, there was one area everyone could count on.
Starting from Week 1 of the 2007 season through Week 7 of 2017, Joe Thomas was a mainstay at left tackle. If the Browns had a game, Thomas was there every time for every snap, right up until he suffered an injury against the Tennessee Titans that ultimately led to his retirement after the 2017 season.
Since then, the Browns have added left tackle to their list of problem areas. While not as exhaustive as the number of quarterbacks who have taken the field, the list of left tackles has included Spencer Drango, Greg Robinson, Desmond Harrison, Kendall Lamm, Jedrick Wills Jr., James Hudson, Geron Christian, and Germain Ifedi.
Wills, a first-round selection in 2020, looked for a brief time like he would be the answer. But injuries and a somewhat … lackadaisical … approach to the position led Wills to play in just 12 games over the past two seasons. He is now a free agent and is considering taking the 2025 season off.
With the spot once again open, the Browns are looking to Dawand Jones, a fourth-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft, to solidify the position. Jones has shown flashes, mostly at right tackle, while making 17 starts in two years, but has suffered season-ending injuries in both of his seasons.
There is a lot of hope around Jones, but his limited time at left tackle has been less than inspiring, according to Pro Football Focus, which listed Jones as the “make-or-break player” on Cleveland’s roster for 2025:
Four of the five projected starters on the Browns’ offensive line will be at least 30 years old when the 2025 season starts. The only exception is Dawand Jones, who could be the team’s starting left tackle.
Jones played three games at that spot last year before suffering a fractured fibula that ended his season. Unfortunately, he earned a subpar 44.1 PFF overall grade across those three outings. Veteran Cornelius Lucas could fill in if Jones is either injured or ineffective again, but the Browns desperately need young talent to emerge on their offensive line, and Jones is the most likely incumbent candidate.
The biggest questions around Jones are his availability and his weight. There is, unfortunately, not much a player can do to prevent a broken fibula, which ended Jones’ season in 2024, but getting in better shape is within his control. The news from the team’s recent OTAs sounds positive as Jones reportedly has leaned out while adding muscle.
The Browns have been looking for a starting left tackle for seven years. And if Jones can stay healthy and keep his weight under control, he may be able to finally end the team’s quest.
