The Browns opened up Week 9 with a lengthy injury report that featured 20 players with various practice designations.
On Thursday, they took steps toward bolstering one of their banged up position groups as they signed tackle Leroy Watson to the active roster off the 49ers practice squad.
After spending his college days at Texas-San Antonio, Watson entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2022. Watson was actually a tight end in college but converted to offensive lineman upon his arrival to the NFL, spending the entirety of his rookie season and all of 2023 thus far on the 49ers practice squad.
The addition of Watson comes for Cleveland, while rookie standout Dawand Jones deals with a shoulder injury. Jones left Sundays game against Seattle due to the ailment and returned later when Ty Nsekhe wound up also getting hurt. Nsekhe wound up being placed on the IR this week, while Jones didn't practice on Wednesday.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski has remained mum on the severity of Jones injury in terms of his availability for the team's matchup with Arizona this weekend or beyond. This move could signal at the very least that Jones will miss Sunday's game. If that's true, James Hudson III would be first up to fill Jones' role at right tackle.
The injury for Jones is a big setback for the Browns offensie line that already lost veteran starter Jack Conklin way back in Week 1. The Ohio State product has filled in masterfully though, as PFF has Jones graded as the 39th best pass blocking tackle in the NFL.
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