Dawand Jones leaves Week 11 game against Saints with bad leg injury

Dawand Jones went down with an unfortunate leg injury in the Cleveland Browns' Week 11 game against the New Orleans Saints, having his ankle rolled up under Wyatt Teller's on the offensive line. Jones, who has been a revelation in place of Jedrick Wills Jr. at left tackle for the Browns since Week 8, was carted off the field with an air cast.

Jones, a late round pick for the Browns back in 2023, has been a huge add to Cleveland's struggling offensive line since the team benched Wills. He's added some much needed pocket protection for Jameis Winston as he's gotten into a rhythm in the Browns' offense, but is now seemingly added to a long list of injured OL starters for Cleveland.

Read more: Ken Dorsey gave major props to Dawand Jones ahead of Week 11

Per the Browns' official page, Jones has been ruled as doubtful to return to the game with an ankle injury. He's not the only injury for the team in the first half of Week 11, with Denzel Ward also listed as questionable to return to the game with a chest injury. Two big starters for two different units being out so early in the contest is a terrible blow to the Browns' momentum in a game that could be going either way.

Winston breaks passing record in Week 11

Despite such a chaotic game in Week 11, the Browns had two stats to notch as a positive for their offense. Firstly, the team finally had a play for more than 40 yards on the 89 yard touchdown pass from Winston to Jerry Jeudy in the first half of play. Secondly, Winston was able to record his longest pass completion of his career with that 89 yard reception.

These are great signs for a Browns offense that's felt right on the cusp of figuring something out all season long, but just hasn't had the big play at the right time to carry any momentum into the next game or into wins. With the draft coming up next year for Cleveland and it seeming likely that they'll have a prime first round pick, the team finds itself at a crossroads - do you take a chance and draft an offensive lineman with such a high pick, or do you go for a quarterback to lean on while riding out Winston or Deshaun Watson for a bit longer?

It all depends on if this team is willing to accept reality, and understand that the Watson they traded for will never come up for them in his time as a Browns player.

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