Cleveland Browns head coach Todd Monken doesn't beat around the bush. When it comes to everything other than the never-ending quarterback competition, the 60-year-old is usually quite blunt and outspoken.
That's why his latest comments on Dawand Jones can't be overlooked. In a matter of a couple of days, Monken went from potentially naming Jones the starting left tackle to claiming he'll have to fight for a roster spot.
Maybe something happened behind closed doors, or maybe rookie Austin Barber is making him expendable. Whatever the case, the Browns are slowly ramping up Barber, their third-round pick, who might now be in the lead to be their swing tackle.
Austin Barber might push Dawand Jones out of Cleveland
For what it's worth, both Barber and Jones were listed with the second offense on the team's first unofficial depth chart of the preseason. Nevertheless, that's pretty much meaningless until the regular season, so that should be taken with a grain of salt.
Moreover, the coaching staff's actions are also pretty telling. Barber took reps at right tackle with the first team when Tytus Howard left practice early. Jones had been alternating first-team reps on the left side with Spencer Fano, but given his prior NFL experience at right tackle and team-friendly contract, the fact that he didn't get the nod to replace Howard suggests he may have lost some ground to the rookie.
The Browns went from being extremely thin up front to potentially having a surplus at tackle. KT Leveston was expected to work with that group, but he's emerged as the primary threat to Teven Jenkins for the starting right guard spot in camp.
As such, Leveston should be a lock to make the roster, and his positional versatility could make Jones the odd-man out. Standing at 6-foot-8 and 370 pounds, Jones has reportedly worked tirelessly to stay in shape and get healthy, and he even agreed to a pay cut this offseason, now scheduled to earn just $1.15 million in 2026.
That might not be enough to save his job.
The Browns are working Barber on both sides of the line, and he seems to be ahead of the veteran in the pecking order. They don't need two swing tackles on the roster, so they might choose the one who doesn't come with an extensive history of injuries and who's under contract for three more years.
Some thought Barber was better suited to move to the interior because of his size and strong run-blocking, but his broad frame and strong use of hands helped him excel on both sides of the line during his days with the Florida Gators.
He's still a work in progress in pass protection, but with over 2,000 snaps at left tackle and an impressive training camp, he may have endeared himself to offensive line coach George Warhop to push Jones to the roster bubble.
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