Spencer Fano arrived in Cleveland as the ninth overall pick with plenty of expectations attached to his name, and the Browns have been careful not to simply hand him the job outright. Instead, Dawand Jones has pushed him at every turn, splitting reps at left tackle throughout the summer and forcing Fano to earn whatever role he ultimately claims. In a recent appearance on ESPN Cleveland’s Next Level Show, Fano addressed that competition.
He spoke candidly about what Jones brings to the position and why he views the competition as something that benefits both players rather than a distraction.
“At left tackle, Dawand is an incredible player. He’s a mountain of a man, a very hard guy to get around. For me, it’s awesome to be able to compete with him, and it’s only making me better. I feel like it wouldn’t be right if he wasn’t given that chance, too, because he’s such a good player,” Fano said.
Fano views the entire situation as an opportunity to sharpen his own game against one of the more physically imposing offensive linemen on the roster. Jones has drawn consistent praise throughout camp for his conditioning and competitiveness, with Todd Monken himself noting the veteran is in the best shape of his career and clearly motivated to prove he belongs on the field regardless of where that ends up being.
Jones has also spent time working at right tackle. That flexibility gives the Browns real options, but it also means Fano cannot afford to take his current standing for granted, since the coaching staff has shown a clear willingness to move pieces around based purely on performance.
Building the best possible five up front requires the kind of internal competition he described, one where every starter has to continue proving himself rather than assuming a spot is secured.
With George Warhop overseeing the development of both players, expect this competition to continue playing out in practice reps over the coming weeks, right up until Monken and his staff settle on their preferred alignment before the regular season begins.
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