Rookie Tackle Dawand Jones Recognized For Impressive First Season With Browns
There wasn't a position group more decimated by an unfortunate injury bug this past season than the Browns' offensive line.
In Week 1, Cleveland watched starting right tackle Jack Conklin go down for the season after tearing his ACL and MCL, immediately forcing rookie Dawand Jones into action sooner than he ever could have imagined. As a fifth-round pick, Jones took over with minimal expectations but quickly found his rhythm as one of the bookends of the Browns' o-line. It was a pleasant surprise, as the Ohio State product went on to start 10 games after taking over for Conklin in the season opener.
He held his own valiantly, battling a number of injuries along the way, but ultimately saw his season come to an end in early December after injuring his knee at practice leading up to a Week 14 matchup with the Jaguars. That following week he was placed on the IR after it was revealed he'd need to have surgery.
While the injury brought Jones' rookie campaign to an unfortunate end, he still did enough to earn recognition from the Pro Football Writers of America.
On Tuesday, the organization named Jones to their annual All-Rookie team. The news comes after star pass rusher Myles Garrett was named to the PFWA's All-NFL team and Jones' offensive line-mate, Joel Bitonio made the All-AFC team.
Meanwhile, Jones' college teammate C.J. Stroud – who quarterbacked the Texans past the Browns in the Wild Card round of the playoffs – was named the PFWA's Rookie of the Year and Offensive Rookie of the Year.
