When the Cleveland Browns kicked off training camp this summer, Dawand Jones was running with the first-team offense at left tackle. He was never really considered a legitimate contender to win a job that was earmarked for first-round rookie Spencer Fano, but head coach Todd Monken and offensive line coach George Warhop talked up Jones enough to make it seem like he legitimately remained in the team’s 2026 plans.
That was confirmed Sunday — to an extent — as the Browns and the NFL’s other 31 teams made their initial roster cuts down to the regular-season limit of 53.
It’s been a troubling offseason for Jones, who is coming off a third season-ending injury in as many years. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, he had earned himself a proven performance escalator based on playing time, bumping his $1.1 million base salary up closer to $3.7 million.
The Browns wasted little time restructuring that number, as Jones essentially agreed to a pay cut, reducing his base salary back to its original figure with guarantees added to the deal.
Unfortunately, that was likely the move that cemented Jones’ roster spot, as his trajectory has been in steady decline since the second week of August.
A reworked contract may have done more to secure Dawand Jones' roster spot than his preseason play
Pro Football Focus grades should always be taken with a grain of salt. The site ranked fourth-string quarterback Taylen Green as the Browns’ third-highest-graded offensive player of the preseason despite him playing one half and passing for 27 yards.
PFF’s take on Jones’ preseason performance wasn’t pretty, though. He was the team’s lowest-graded offensive player among those who played at least 60 snaps over the three games.
As usual, he seemed to hold his own in pass protection, especially as the starting left tackle in preseason Game 3 against the New England Patriots. Dillon Gabriel was barely touched in that game as he posted a near-perfect QB rating.
It’s the run blocking that remains a major concern. Jones is a massive human at 6-foot-8 and 374 pounds, but coming off a serious knee injury, he doesn’t appear to be moving well in the ground game. He was the Browns’ worst run blocker of the preseason, per PFF, with a 29.2 grade.
With blossoming rookie Austin Barber now mixing in at right guard, and KT Leveston surprisingly hitting the waiver wire, Jones profiles as the backup left tackle behind Fano to start the season. But Monken and GM Andrew Berry specifically targeted versatility both in free agency and the draft this offseason, and Jones may not be the first player off the bench should a starter go down with an early injury.
Jones has the elite size that NFL front offices covet, but his injury history has capped his upside to the point where the Browns prioritized a contract restructure over a potential trade this offseason.
The former fourth-round pick should still provide Cleveland with some depth on the outside, but the harsh reality here is that he probably wouldn’t be on the Browns’ roster right now had he not agreed to slash his salary back in May.
Add us as a preferred source on Google