Coming into the 2026 NFL season, there was a thought that perhaps Cleveland Browns veteran Dawand Jones could challenge for a starting job. He was working at left tackle and was, at least, providing competition for the the spot against top draft pick–No. 9 overall–Spencer Fano. Of course, Fano won the job but the Browns were impressed with the work Jones put in this year as he not only was coming off yet another disappointing injury (a torn LCL) that ended his season early, but was also seeking to lose weight and add muscle for his hefty 374-pound frame.
Jones stuck on the roster as the Browns’ swing tackle, and has gotten action on the line now in three games. He got two offensive snaps in Week 2 against Tampa Bay, then filled in when right tackle Tytus Howard was injured against the Jets in Week 5 for 33 snaps, followed by another stint last week in Tennessee, again when Howard was injured and Jones played 25 snaps. Now, with Howard all but certainly out because of a concussion for Sunday game against the Steelers, it looks like Jones will be pressed in action yet again.
And likely lined up against Pittsburgh star TJ Watt.
Dawand Jones: ‘I Did a Bad Job’
That notion does not instill great confidence among Browns observers of recent years. Jones has not been able to stay healthy in his first three seasons in Cleveland–he played 24 games in those three years–and has not been great even when he has played. He was slightly better against Tennessee last week, but really struggled in his first lengthy stint of the year in New York.
Speaking to Ashley Bastock of Cleveland.com, Jones conceded that it was hard to get thrust into the action against the Jets after missing so much time.
“I did a bad job in the Jets game. But that was my first time back just being in the game,” Jones said. “I haven’t played since Week 3 of last year, so I’m hard on myself. I was able to critique that and obviously go take it to practice and go get better. And it paid off. And I got in the game, I felt like I was really way more prepared and better. My legs are just under me and that was one thing I really like. Preach to myself, I need to be ready.”
Ready for Browns Rivalry
Jones made his first career start against the Steelers three years ago, so he has gotten a taste of playing against the Browns’ top rival. Jones himself went to Ohio State, and compares the rivalry to OSU-Michigan.
“That was a surreal moment,” Jones said. “The rivalry speaks for itself, you know what it is. Like I tell people all the time I already don’t like them, I’m from Indy. So growing up you don’t learn to like the terrible towels, you learn to hate them. So that’s one thing. And then just in Cleveland, it’s right there.
“To me, they’re like our team up north. We don’t like them, they don’t like us. So that’s how it is.”
Browns New Starter Makes Blunt Admission on ‘Bad Job’