Dawand Jones gives Browns' thin offensive tackle situation a scare with shoulder issue

WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS, W. Va. — The Browns are already down two starting offensive tackles as Jedrick Wills Jr. and Jack Conklin continue to rehab knee injuries from last year. They do have another starter, Dawand Jones , back from his own knee injury.

Then, during Thursday's first fully padded practice of training camp, Jones left during an individual drill with what appeared to be a right shoulder injury. For a moment, the Browns were left with James Hudson III at left tackle and Germain Ifedi, who was signed during the spring, at the ever-revolving right tackle spot.

Not ideal in the least, certainly not compared to what the Browns hoped to have at the position. But, by the time they were wrapping up the 90-minute practice, Jones had returned to right tackle for the final 11 on 11 period.

"Yeah, that happens," offensive line coach Andy Dickerson said after practice. "I'm in the middle of a series, something may happen, the next guy goes in and the trainers say, 'Hey, we're looking at him.' And you say, OK, cool. You have the next guy ready and then, hey, he's back in. Or boom, he's back in with the next group.

"So he finished out the thing. So as far as I'm concerned, until they tell me different, he finished up that practice, so feel pretty good about that."

Jones has been on the field for every practice, save for an unexplained absence Monday. He's been the one tackle who ended last season on the injured reserve list with a knee injury who has been available for both June's minicamp and the start of training camp.

That's what made the time Jones spent watching from behind the play such a potential issue for the Browns. After the play on which he was hurt, trainers took his shoulder pads off and, after Jones put on what appeared to be a compression shirt, the trainers wrapped the shoulder again before he put his pads back on.

Jones spent some time talking during an individual period with assistant line coach Roy Istvan. Wills also came over and spoke with him.

"Football's a game where injuries happen and different things happen and it's, like, whatever those things are, and, again, I let the experts be the expert on that stuff," Dickerson said. "(Trainer) Joe (Sheehan), his staff do a great job. So, 'Hey, we're looking at this X, Y, Z.' Great. Boom. Next guy goes in. Germain Ifedi hopped in there. I have all the confidence in him and then, 'Hey, he's back up, ready to go.' OK, cool. And then we get back out there."

A 2023 fourth-round pick out of Ohio State, Jones was one of the major developments a year ago at this time. In fact, it was almost exactly one year ago he played every offensive snap in the Hall of Fame Game against the New York Jets and did not allow a single pressure or quarterback hit on 40 passing snaps.

The massive tackle, though, was still behind Conklin at that time. However, Conklin sustained season-ending tears to both the anterior cruciate ligament and medial collateral ligament in his left knee during the regular-season opener, which pushed Jones into the starting lineup.

According to Pro Football Focus, Jones allowed just three sacks on 419 passing drop-backs in 11 games last season. He's also gave up three quarterback hits and 15 hurries.

Dickerson didn't get a chance to coach Jones last year, since he was still on the Seattle Seahawks coaching staff. He was hired in February to replace Bill Callahan, who left the Browns after four years as offensive line coach to join his son Brian's staff with the Tennessee Titans.

"I love being around Dawand," Dickerson said. "He brings a great energy to the room, asks good questions, stuff that you may not think about, you know and try to get clarity. … So, you know, excited about what he’s been able to do and I’m just continuing to build that relationship with him, learn him and just keep trying to get him to take, you know, every day, if everybody just gets a little bit better then we’ll all get a little bit better.”

The Browns continue to await an exact date for when Conklin and/or Wills will be cleared to start practicing again. Both were placed on the physically unable to perform list at the start of training camp.

Stefanski would only say, "I do," when asked if he was confident the two would be back by the Sept. 8 regular-season opener against the Dallas Cowboys. Until then, Hudson has been playing left tackle, with Jones or Ifedi at right tackle.

Hudson has made 14 regular-season and one playoff start in a combined 46 games over his first three seasons. Those have all been on the right side of the line.

"The great thing about the offseason program is James has come in and he’s worked, and he’s lined up a bunch at that spot, and so feel good about him continuing to take those reps and the way he attacks every day," Dickerson said. "Along with, you know, Hakeem (Adeniji) and Germain, all those guys are pros, and so, you know, it’s a next-man-up mentality, and it’s, you know, you never want anybody to be hurt, but the good thing is you can get reps and stack reps, get the communication with the different guys."

Chris Easterling can be reached at ceasterling@thebeaconjournal.com. Read more about the Browns at www.beaconjournal.com/sports/browns. Follow him on X at @ceasterlingABJ

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dawand Jones gives Browns' thin offensive tackle situation a scare with shoulder issue