The Cleveland Browns aggressively rebuilt their offensive line this offseason, trading for right tackle Tytus Howard, signing guard Zion Johnson, and also signing veteran Elgton Jenkins, who has experience all across the line. However, Cleveland didn’t address the left tackle position, leaving everyone to believe the team will select one early in the 2026 Draft.
While that’s likely, it’s also possible that the Browns could rely on Dawand Jones as their starting left tackle. The talented but oft-injured lineman is, once again, coming off a season-ending knee injury. Fans have reasonable concerns about his reliability, but Jones is making it clear that he’s doing his part to be ready to go for Cleveland this season.
A video was recently shared to Instagram, showing the veteran lineman playing basketball in a recreational league. The footage showed Jones jumping to grab a couple of rebounds, going up for a bucket, and running down the floor while flexing.
Browns lineman Dawand Jones looks healthy while playing offseason basketball
Not only did the video show Jones seemingly healthy and moving well on the court, the footage also highlighted his current shape. The Browns lineman has been documenting his weight loss, and on Thursday, the 6-foot-8 Jones shared a picture of him on the scale, weighing 359 pounds. That’s down 11 pounds from a picture he posted in February when he said he was 370, and down a total of 15 pounds from his listed roster weight of 374.
That speaks to the work and commitment from Jones, as he has been able to work through these goals, while recovering from a lower-body injury. Head coach Todd Monken recently said that he’s hoping to have Jones ready to go on the field by the end of the offseason program, and this video certainly provides reason to believe that hope will be fulfilled.
The concern for Jones, though, isn’t just about when he’ll get back on the field, it’s about how long he’ll be able to stay on it. In his young three-year career, he has only appeared in 24 games, ending every season on injured reserve with three lower-body injuries. The lineman seems to be working hard, so if health is on his side in 2026, Dawand Jones could be the answer at left tackle for the Browns.