Dawand Jones has spent more time on the injured reserve list than on the football field over the last three years, and Browns fans have every right to be cautious about his outlook heading into 2026. But a new report from a trusted insider offers a genuinely encouraging early sign.
Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot has been watching the Browns throughout the offseason program and shared her observations on Jones, who is entering a critical year after suffering a torn LCL early in the 2025 season, a fractured left fibula in 2024, and an MCL tear during his rookie year in 2023.
“Well, he’s looked good. He looks like he’s trimmed down a little bit and I know people worry about that with him, especially when he’s coming off of an injury, but he didn’t put on any excess weight with this injury. He looks like he’s in really really good shape and that’s a great place to start for him. So, you know, we’ll see. George Warhop is an excellent offensive line coach and let’s see what he can get out of Dawand because there are always opportunities to get on the field for an excellent player and if he shows that he deserves to be one of the starting five then they’ll find a place for him,” Cabot said.
Jones was selected by the Browns in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft out of Ohio State, and his physical tools have never been the question. The man checks in at 6’8 and 374 pounds, which makes him one of the most physically imposing offensive linemen in the entire league. The problem has simply been staying healthy long enough to show what he is capable of over a full season. He has appeared in just 24 games across three years with only 20 starts to his name, a number that does not come close to reflecting what his potential actually is.
The fact that he came back looking thinner and in strong physical condition suggests he took his offseason work seriously and understood the stakes heading into year four.
The Browns have Spencer Fano and Tytus Howard projected as the starting tackles, which means Jones enters camp as the swing tackle. But as Cabot noted, George Warhop is an excellent offensive line coach who knows how to develop and deploy talent. If Jones shows up and performs at the level his physical profile suggests he should, the Browns will find a way to get him on the field.
He has been one of the most tantalizing what ifs on this roster since the day he was drafted. Maybe 2026 is finally the year he answers the question.
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