Browns’ Kevin Stefanski confident a week of reps with starters will help Dawand Jones prepare for Steelers’ T.J. Watt
Injuries never care if it’s a good time or bad time to happen, they just happen. For the Cleveland Browns and Jack Conklin, it was a bad time. Conklin played just over a quarter of football and then his entire 2023 season was gone before it hardly started. With that, the Browns are now in […]
Injuries never care if it’s a good time or bad time to happen, they just happen. For the Cleveland Browns and Jack Conklin, it was a bad time.
Conklin played just over a quarter of football and then his entire 2023 season was gone before it hardly started. With that, the Browns are now in a position where they’ll be starting rookie right tackle Dawand Jones. Unfortunately for Jones, his first game starting will be a matchup with T.J. Watt on the other side.
“The truth is it's our offense vs. their defense. Certainly with Dawand, he's going to get plenty of opportunities against T.J. Watt,” said Kevin Stefanski during his media availability on Thursday. “I know he's going to work very hard to prepare himself."
Jones played well in his debut against the Bengals when called upon. Stefanski noted a week of practice with the starters is big for Jones. But having to stop Watt from getting to the passer is a different beast. The All-Pro had three sacks and two forced fumbles against the San Francisco 49ers last week.
"There are no redshirts in the NFL…you have to be ready,” Stefanski said following Week 1.
Speaking of injuries, safety Juan Thornhill is still day-to-day, according to Stefanski. The off-season acquisition won’t practice today but could play in Week 2, potentially.
“I would characterize it as day-to-day."
Cleveland has not won a regular season game in Pittsburgh since 2003. There was the playoff victory in 2020 where the Browns shocked the Steelers in the Wild Card, but nothing outside of that.
"It's really not something that affects us, this game,” Stefanski said on the streak.
Cleveland’s head coach didn’t have much to update on with the first day of practice for the week to take place today. More will come about as the week progresses.
3 Steelers the Browns must keep in check during Week 2
If Cleveland wants to move to 2-0, tabs need to be kept on these three players heavily.
Featured image via Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports.
