The Cleveland Browns will be without offensive tackle Dawand Jones for the rest of the year following a knee injury he suffered during a 13-10 victory against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday.
Jones was injured early in the first quarter after Packers safety Javon Bullard dove low at his legs. He exited the game and the Browns confirmed on Monday after an MRI that Jones would miss the rest of the season.
“(It’s) disappointing for the young man,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said. “So he’ll battle back, he’ll rehab and he will be ready to roll, but disappointed for him.”
Stefanski added that the Browns plan to send the play to the NFL office to get their “interpretation” of it. Cleveland appears to be seeking punishment for Bullard.
“You’re not allowed to go low,” Stefanski said. “Now, I don’t believe that their player was intending to hurt our player. I know that’s not the case, but we’ll turn that into the league and find out what they say.”
Browns Shorthanded at Offensive Tackle
Jones, a towering 6-foot-8, 374-pound tackle, has battled durability concerns throughout his career. This marks the third straight season he’ll end up on injured reserve, derailing Cleveland’s hopes that he could stay healthy and develop into their long-term answer at left tackle.
“Obviously a young player that was getting better,” Stefanski said. “He played right (tackle) in the last game, obviously for those plays before he was injured, but he’s played on both sides, so yeah, disappointed overall for the young man. But he’s somebody that we’ll continue to work and now he’s just going to have to focus on his rehab. Disappointed for him.”
The Browns have been without veteran Jack Conklin for the past two games. He missed Sunday’s game with an elbow injury and has also dealt with an eye issue. Conklin usually holds down the right side of the line, where Jones started on Sunday. Cornelius Lucas, who will now play a bigger role, started on the left side.
Cleveland also had second-year tackle KT Leveston but will likely see who is available to add some depth.
Browns Remain Confident in QB Joe Flacco
One of the players most affected by Cleveland’s offensive line struggles is quarterback Joe Flacco. The 40-year-old veteran has started the first three games and, despite the Browns’ sluggish offensive output, is expected to remain under center in Week 4 against the Detroit Lions.
Flacco finished with 142 passing yards and an interception in the loss to the Packers. Cleveland currently ranks 29th in the NFL in points per game (15.3) and has struggled to generate explosive plays on offense. Stefanski accepted responsibility for the unit’s inconsistency.
“It’s our job as coaches to design game plans that allow our guys to have success. Obviously with the passing game, you want your quarterback to be clean and be able to make those decisions from clean pockets as much as you can,” Stefanski said. “But that’s really, that’s our focus.”
The Browns are an 8.5-point underdog against the Lions next week, per ESPN BET, as they look to claw to .500 this season.
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