The Browns may be headed into Sunday’s AFC North showdown at Pittsburgh with a familiar problem suddenly back on the table: what happens if Tytus Howard can’t go?
Howard, Cleveland’s starting right tackle, missed practice for the second straight day Thursday while going through the NFL’s concussion protocol. He hasn’t been ruled out, but two straight DNPs have pushed him into shaky territory with the game against the Steelers approaching.
That would be a serious concern for a Browns offense that already knows what life looks like without him. Howard has been playing at a high level lately, and the numbers back it up. He hasn’t been flagged since Week 3, and over Cleveland’s last three games he has given up no sacks and just three total pressures across 87 pass-blocking snaps, according to Pro Football Focus.
If Howard can’t play, the job would fall to Dawand Jones, who replaced him after Howard was injured in last weekend’s win over the Tennessee Titans. Jones’ relief work didn’t inspire much confidence. Per PFF, he allowed three pressures and three hurries on 25 offensive snaps in that game.
That would leave Cleveland with a vulnerable spot the Steelers could target. If Jones is out there on Sunday, Pittsburgh would know exactly where to go, especially with rookie guard Austin Barber also on the line.
Jones’ spot in the organization has already been a roller coaster. During training camp, head coach Todd Monken and offensive line coach George Warhop spoke highly of his conditioning and upside as a veteran presence, but that praise faded quickly.
He went from working with the starters at left tackle to sitting on the 53-man roster bubble. He eventually made the team as a reserve tackle after taking a multi-million-dollar pay cut earlier in the spring, but he hasn’t looked like a reliable starter once the games began.
In 60 offensive snaps this season, Jones has allowed one sack, six pressures and five hurries, and he has also been penalized twice, according to PFF. He hasn’t started a game for Cleveland since Week 3 of the 2025 season, and the new coaching staff appeared to be cooling on him by the end of camp.
The Browns did enough up front to beat the Steelers 27-24 in Week 4, when Deshaun Watson was sacked twice for an 8-yard loss. But T.J. Watt still made his presence felt with a sack, four pressures, two tackles for loss and two QB hits.
That’s why Howard’s status matters so much now. If he’s unavailable, Cleveland walks into Sunday’s game with a backup tackle and a very obvious pressure point.
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