Browns rookie next man up after latest injury

There are a lot of positives to take away from the Browns' 24-3 win over the Bengals in Week 1. However, Cleveland did lose a starter in the game, which leaves a rookie as the next man up.

Tests revealed that right tackle Jack Conklin tore his ACL and MCL and will have season-ending surgery. That means Dawand Jones, the Browns' fourth-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, will now be the starting right tackle.

Jones had a great preseason in which he allowed zero sacks and just two pressures on 111 pass-blocking snaps, according to NFL Rookie Watch. After taking over for Conklin Sunday, he allowed zero sacks, pressures or hurries on 20 pass-blocking snaps.

The massive 6-foot-8, 375-pound offensive tackle has certainly impressed, but he'll have quite the challenge in his first NFL start when Cleveland travels to Pittsburgh in Week 2. 

Jones must face LB T.J. Watt, the 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, who had three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one tackle for a loss and five quarterback hits in Week 1.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski knows it isn't an ideal scenario but believes the coaching staff will have Jones ready.

"There are no redshirts in the NFL. So, you never know when that opportunity is going to come. It happened in the first half of the first game," Stefanski told reporters, via Fred Greetham of The Orange and Brown report. "He will continue to get better. Obviously, going into Pittsburgh is tough on every team that goes into that place."

Jones has already been viewed as somewhat of a steal given his early success in the league. But with a strong performance in Week 2, he will certainly solidify himself as one.