The Cleveland Browns are 2-1 on the 2026 NFL season despite an offense that ranks 28th in the league in total yards per game at 283.3 and 24th in scoring at 18 points per game.

Cleveland’s offensive struggles need fixing, and one spot along the offensive line is a part of the problem. Specifically, right tackle Tytus Howard is hurting this team through the first 3 games of the season.

Howard has already given up 10 pressures and committed five penalties, three of which came in the Week 3 win over the Carolina Panthers alone. The Browns’ offense is not good enough to overcome those kinds of mistakes on a regular basis. 

Cleveland was able to put together its second straight game-winning drive in the fourth quarter against Carolina, escaping with a 21-18 win, but the margin for error with this group remains razor thin.

Tytus Howard’s struggles put the Browns in a tough spot

Howard is a veteran the Browns traded for from the Houston Texans, and Cleveland is paying him for the next couple of years. The Browns need him to work out. There is no way around that reality. Still, if the poor play continues, the team has a contingency plan in place.

Head coach Todd Monken confirmed to start the week that Dawand Jones is ready to go in place Howard.

“He’s been at both [spots]. And lately he’s been at right tackle,” Monken said. “He did work with Spencer (Fano) earlier in the competition during training camp, but he’s worked a lot at right tackle during practice. He’s ready to go.”

Jones is an intriguing option, but counting on him to be a full-time starter comes with its own set of concerns. The former fourth-round pick out of the 2023 class is in the final year of his rookie contract, and he has never played in more than 11 games in a season for the Browns. In 2025, Jones was only able to play in 3 games before suffering a season-ending injury.

The durability questions are legitimate. Jones has the physical tools, but the Browns would be rolling the dice on availability if they made a switch. That said, Howard’s current level of play is actively hindering an offense that cannot afford self-inflicted wounds.

Cleveland is young in a lot of spots, but Howard is one of the veterans they need to play well if he’s going to stay on the field. Thursday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers is going to present a tough test with T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith coming to town.

If Howard can’t hold up against that kind of pass rush, the Browns know exactly where they’re going next; Monken has already made it clear the team is prepared to make that call.