Dawand Jones has spent most of his Browns career defined by what could have been rather than what actually happened on the field. Injuries have derailed his first 3 seasons in Cleveland before they ever really got started, limiting the massive Ohio State product to just 24 games across 3 years. But something appears to be different this spring, and the Browns coaching staff is taking notice in a big way.
With a lot of new faces on the offensive line, Jones could find himself playing a new position.
“The Browns will find a starting job for former left tackle Dawand Jones if he’s one of the best 5 offensive linemen in camp. Ninth overall pick Spencer Fano will start at left tackle and Tytus Howard is penciled in at right tackle, but Jones could even play guard if necessary,” Mary Kay Cabot wrote.
Jones was drafted in the 4th round out of Ohio State in 2023 and flashed genuine promise in his rookie season before injuries began piling up. He played in just 3 games in 2025, a painful reminder of how difficult it has been for the 6-8, 374-pound tackle to stay on the field long enough to show what he is capable of.
The spring has told a different story. Jones has been one of the more talked about names coming out of OTAs, drawing attention for the way he has moved and competed during the offseason program. Offensive line coach Scott Warhop has seen enough to pump the brakes on any notion that Jones is simply a swing tackle insurance policy on this roster.
“I’m not putting a swing tackle on Dawand,” Warhop said. “Dawand’s going to come in and compete, right? I think he can be a really good player in this league. So swing tackle, I don’t know. I’m going to see if he can start for us in some capacity before I say he’s a swing tackle.”
With Spencer Fano locked in at left tackle as the 9th overall pick in the 2026 draft and Tytus Howard at right tackle, the path to a starting role for Jones may run through guard rather than his natural tackle position. For a player with his size and athleticism, that transition is not as simple as sliding inside and figuring it out on the fly. But Jones has shown this spring that he is willing to do whatever it takes to get on the field, and Warhop clearly believes the talent is there to make it work.
Browns fans have been waiting 3 years for Dawand Jones to stay healthy long enough to show what he can do. Training camp may finally be the moment he delivers on that promise.
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