Story by
Dawand Jones battling knee soreness, but vows to play when Browns host Giants
- Story by
- Dawand Jones battling knee soreness, but vows to play when Browns host Giants
(This story was updated to add new information.)
BEREA — The tackle situation for the Browns has seemingly only gotten more cloudy as the season as progressed. There may, however, be a break in those clouds, just as it seems to be getting as dark as it's been.
Advertisement
The Browns continue to wait for the 2024 debuts of left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. and right tackle Jack Conklin , who continue to recover from knee injuries sustained last year. While both practiced again on Wednesday, their own personal projections for this Sunday's game against the New York Giants varied, from Conklin saying he feels "like it's going to be coming soon" to Wills own assessment that "I have no clue. We'll see."
On Wednesday, though, a new wrinkle was thrown into the mix as the Browns began preparing the Giants. Right tackle Dawand Jones did not practice because of his own knee injury, which emerged from Sunday's 18-13 win at the Jacksonville Jaguars .
Jones, though, labeled the injury as merely "just a little soreness." When asked if he expected to play against the Giants, he said, "Yeah, for sure."
"Yeah, as long as I can go," Jones said. "I should be able to go. That's about it."
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) hugs guard Wyatt Teller (77) as they celebrate the team’s win Oct. 15, 2023, over the San Francisco 49ers in Cleveland.
Jones, who was lost for the season last year with a knee injury on Dec. 8, has started and played a majority of the Browns' first two games at right tackle. He missed two offensive snaps in the opener against the Dallas Cowboys with a shoulder issue, then missed 11 snaps with cramping issues during Sunday's game.
Advertisement
When Jones has been on the field, he has built upon his strong rookie season. He has been credited, according to Pro Football Focus, with just two pressures allowed in two games.
"About third quarter-ish, I should say," Jones said of when the knee injury occurred. "It should be nothing. Should be able to get back."
Pro Bowl tackle Jack Conklin 'close, close' to making his 2024 season debut
It may not just be Jones who's hoping to be on the field Sunday against the winless Giants. Conklin sounded as confident as he's been since returning to practice on Aug. 27 that he would be back on the field for the first time since last year's opener against the Cincinnati Bengals .
Advertisement
"Close, close," Conklin said when asked where he was in his recovery. "Yes, definitely getting better and better every week."
Conklin's trajectory would be in line with what occurred to start 2022 after his 2021 season was ended by a patellar tendon injury. He resumed practice during training camp that year, but was inactive for the first two games before finally making his return in a Week 3 "Thursday Night Football" game against the Pittsburgh Steelers .
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jack Conklin (78) is introduced before an Oct. 11, 2020, game against the Indianapolis Colts in Cleveland.
The two-time Pro Bowl right tackle has acknowledged he's been getting reps at left tackle since he's returned. If he can go but Wills can't against New York, then it seems likely that's where he could start, with Jones at right tackle.
Advertisement
For now, Conklin's just focused on the knee and how it's feeling.
"I'm feeling, like I said, feeling better and better every week," Conklin said. "So I think there's a good shot. If this week goes well, be ready to roll."
'Maybe this week, maybe next week' for left tackle Jedrick Wills Jr.'s return
The player who may be still a week away is Wills, who was the last to get back on the practice field. Despite his knee injury occurring last Nov. 5, and the arthroscopic surgery happening a little more than a month later, he didn't return to practice until Sept. 4.
Advertisement
Wills, though, hasn't gone through a full week of practice since coming back. He didn't practice the day after his first practice back during the run-up to the opener against the Dallas Cowboys, then missed last Wednesday's practice during the lead-in to the Jaguars game.
"Yeah, I feel like I'm getting there," Wills said Wednesday. "I don't know when I'll be playing. It's up to the coaches. Maybe this week, maybe next week. It just depends."
Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. (71) cools off in between drills during practice at the NFL team's training facility, Thursday, Aug. 27, 2020, in Berea, Ohio.
James Hudson III has started the first two games at left tackle, the first two starts of his NFL career at the position. Per Pro Football Focus, he's given up a team-high-tying 10 pressures this season, with five hits and five hurries.
Advertisement
Hudson has been the only other tackle on the active roster other than Jones, Wills and Conklin. Germaine Ifedi was a gameday elevation for each of the first two games, coming in for Jones when he's left for a few plays.
"I mean, it presents the same as James, you know what I mean?" Jones said. "I feel like, like I said from the beginning, once one person falls, the next person's got to be up and it's got to be the same mentality, same person and kind of the same. I feel like we're not all the same, different aspects, but we're all the same."
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 adds to Browns' tackle injury issues with knee soreness
