Concerning reason left tackle Dawand Jones missed playing time against the Ravens revealed

Dawand Jones, left tackle for the Cleveland Browns, missed significant playing time during Sunday's loss against the Baltimore Ravens, and weather was the culprit.

Jul 23, 2025; Berea, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Dawand Jones (79) during training camp at CrossCountry Mortgage Campus. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images | Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Sunday’s Week 2 loss in Baltimore was a far from ideal outing for the Cleveland Browns, and a player the team hoped to rely on missed game time for an unusual reason. 

The Browns failed to produce a promising performance in the 41-17 loss on Sunday to Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. While the defense looked strong for the better part of the game, the offense once again failed to get going.

Joe Flacco was unable to get the ball moving for the Browns, but the 40 year-old quarterback was missing some pieces of the offensive line, which allowed Baltimore’s strong defense to quickly put pressure on Flacco. 

Offensive tackle Jack Conklin, as well as guard Zak Zinter, were both listed as inactive prior to kickoff. Zinter is in his second year as a Brown, and seems to have good potential as a  prospect for the coming years. On the other hand, the two-time AP All Pro, Conklin, is quite a significant missing piece of protection on the offensive line. 

What turned out to be a more worrisome headline about the offensive line after the game, was the playing time Dawand Jones missed during the loss. Without any report on injury prior to the contest, many were left to speculate on why Jones had to sit out several times during the game, and the reason could be one that somehow leads to more confusion. 

According to ESPN’s Daniel Oyefusi, head coach Kevin Stefanski noted that Dawand Jones missed game time due to the heat. The weather report showed a high of 82 degrees at the time of the game, which is warm, but not unseasonably hot for an early fall game in the NFL. 

Dawand Jones, the fourth round draft pick in the 2023 NFL Draft had many thinking he could be the long-term solution for the Browns at left tackle. There is no doubt the former Ohio State Buckeye has the stature to be a great tackle, as he stands at 6’8” and weighs 374 lbs. He has shown promise in moments since starting his career in the NFL. 

Stefanski’s explanation for Jones' absence at times during the game leads to questions of his physical condition, offseason preparation, and ability to play at the highest level. 

Jones will have this week of practice to prepare and be ready to take on a tough Green Bay Packers team headlined by Micah Parsons, as they head into Cleveland for a Week 3 matchup against the Browns.