CLEVELAND, Ohio — The most important question facing the Cleveland Browns’ offensive line isn’t about scheme or talent— it’s about availability.
Can Dawand Jones stay on the field for an entire season while adapting to a new position?
After two promising but incomplete seasons cut short by devastating injuries, Jones enters a pivotal year where he’s not only fighting to stay healthy but also transitioning from right to left tackle.
“I think really the biggest question is, can Dawand Jones stay healthy? His first two seasons, they ended prematurely because of a knee injury and then a broken fibula,” Browns beat reporter Ashley Bastock explained on the Orange and Brown Talk podcast.
Those weren’t minor ailments. Jones suffered a knee injury that required multiple procedures (including an additional cleanup this offseason) and then a broken fibula against New Orleans last season. While these catastrophic injuries might be considered “freak accidents,” the pattern is concerning for a player the Browns are counting on to protect their quarterback’s blind side.
“I do still think it’s worth worth noting that we’ve had two seasons of Dawand Jones where he hasn’t been able to finish the season through no fault of his own. But it’s something that’s happened,” host Dan Labbe added.
Jones has taken dramatic steps to prepare for this challenge. He’s completely transformed his body composition — leaner, more muscular — specifically to improve durability. He’s also set a personal goal to play in every regular season game this year.
Beyond the injury concerns, the position switch presents its own set of challenges. Jones has spent most of his football career at right tackle, where muscle memory and technique are second nature. The left side requires rewiring years of instincts.
“Now there will be growing pains ... he’s going to have to learn to overcome the adversity of getting beat and not let it rattle him. He can’t let it rattle him,” Browns beat reporter Mary Kay Cabot explained.
The mental aspect of the transition may prove as challenging as the physical one. Left tackles face the opposition’s premier pass rushers and often find themselves on an island with minimal help. When Jones inevitably gets beaten — which happens to even the best tackles — his response will be crucial.
One encouraging sign: Jones has been seen consulting with Myles Garrett about pass-rushing techniques and tendencies, learning from one of the NFL’s most dominant defensive ends about what he’ll face from opponents.
The coaching change on Cleveland’s offensive line could prove beneficial as well. Mike Bloomgren replaces Andy Dickerson, returning to a scheme more similar to what Jones thrived in as a rookie under Bill Callahan.
“Joel (Bitonio)’s talked about it. We got Dawand going about Bloomgren a little bit as well. They’re obviously back to a scheme that is more equivalent to what Dawand was in as a rookie,” Bastock noted.
Jones possesses the physical tools to succeed — remarkable size, basketball-player athleticism, and surprising quickness for a man his size. What remains to be seen is whether his body can withstand a full NFL season while his mind adapts to the challenges of a new position.
The answer will significantly impact the Browns’ offensive prospects in 2025.
Here’s the podcast for this week:
Listen and subscribe to the Orange and Brown Talk podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Football Insider newsletter free trial: Take a minute and sign up for a free trial of our Football Insider newsletter, featuring exclusive content from cleveland.com's Browns reporters.
Note: Artificial intelligence was used to help generate this story from the Cleveland Orange and Brown Talk Podcast by cleveland.com. Visitors to cleveland.com have asked for more text stories based on website podcast discussions.