If the Cleveland Browns are going to be better in 2025, it's going to start up front with the offensive line. It’s frequently expressed that one of the most important positions in the NFL is the left tackle position. In Cleveland, the starting left tackle is expected to be Dawand Jones.
After a promising rookie season at right tackle and an underwhelming season at left tackle in 2024— both ending early with injuries —Jones knows the Browns are relying on him in 2025, and he spent his offseason getting prepared to deliver.
Speaking with the media on Wednesday after an OTA practice, the third-year tackle was noticeably smaller. Jones explained that he has already lost 20 pounds this offseason, and that’s something he’s taking pride in. Knowing that he needed to be a learner to thrive at left tackle, he’s taking better care of his body and has been happy with the results.
Dawand Jones has lost around 20 pounds as he prepares to be a better left tackle for the Browns
The third-year lineman is showing his commitment to improvement and the team because he bluntly expressed that he still doesn’t like playing left tackle. Jones explained that he also told Cleveland’s general manager, Andrew Berry, that, but he understands it’s what the team needs. Because of his athleticism, it’s a position he could excel at when he’s at his best.
Hopefully, Jones will be at his best when the season rolls around, and he will be able to stay healthy throughout the season. Both seasons in his young career have ended early, with him injuring his MCL as a rookie and fracturing his ankle in year two. The tackle also had arthroscopic knee surgery this offseason to clean up an issue he played through in 2024.
Now, he’s on the field healthy, taking better care of himself, and he’s preparing to be an elite left tackle for the Browns in 2025.
