How the Browns defense is preparing rookie for first start

The Browns lost right tackle Jack Conklin for the season after he tore his ACL and MCL in Week 1, which means a rookie is the next man up.

Dawand Jones, Cleveland's fourth-round pick from the 2023 NFL Draft, will now be the starting right tackle against a Steelers defense that is led by 2021 NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt. However, Jones isn't worried because he had the help of the Browns' defense.

"I credit the defense," Jones told reporters. "There are guys I go up against every day, whether if I'm a two or one ... that was really helping a lot."

Jones credits defensive ends Myles Garrett, Za'Darius Smith and Ogbo Okoronkwo for getting him ready to play in the NFL so quickly.

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

Nonetheless, the 6-foot-8, 375-pound offensive tackle has quite the challenge ahead. Watt is coming off a Week 1 performance where he had three sacks, two forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, one tackle for a loss and five quarterback hits.

If Jones allows another strong showing by Watt in Week 2, Cleveland may be handed its first loss of the 2023 season. But head coach Kevin Stefanski is confident Jones will be ready and be better for it.

"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."