Sadly, Broderick Jones has shown no signs of progress through training camp, the preseason, and now Week 1 of the season. Time is running out for Jones to show he can be counted on as a young cornerstone of the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line. The team might be forced to add someone from the trade block to their roster as insurance.
Luckily for them, there could be a viable option.
Expect Mike Tomlin to give Jones a long leash before he gets benched, since they have no one to take over as the starter on the depth chart. They could always add Cam Robinson from the Houston Texans. He isn't a great player, but he is someone with a ton of starting experience and would immediately push for Jones's job. It might be an avenue the team could explore.
Nothing has been smooth for Broderick Jones's tenure with the Steelers.
They traded up to pick the young offensive tackle in the 2023 NFL Draft, but his foundation at the highest level of football has been shaky. He was shoved over to the right tackle spot, despite never playing there before. After poor results, Pittsburgh hoped switching him back to his natural position would fix everything.
Pittsburgh Steelers could target Cam Robinson via trade to replace Broderick Jones
Adding Robinson to the roster wouldn't fully resolve their issues littering across the trenches, but it may still be an upgrade.
He has a lot of starting experience, but he isn't the best starter at his position. He was one of the worst left tackles in the NFL last season. He lost his top job against Texans rookie Aireontae Ersery, which is why he is available in the first place. Pittsburgh should take his potential addition with a grain of salt.
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It would take plenty of things to occur before the Steelers would seriously consider acquiring Robinson via trade. Jones would need to struggle at his current pace for a while longer, perhaps even up to the trade deadline. Despite those issues, the team would still need to be in playoff contention by the deadline to make sense of a deal.
There are many scenarios, but they are possible to happen.
When it comes to the trade compensation the Steelers would need to give up, it likely wouldn’t cost much. A conditional Day 3 pick makes sense to help finalize this potential deal. It would provide insurance for an organization putting its season-long hopes on the shoulders of an aging Aaron Rodgers. They must keep the grizzled vet upright.
The veteran offensive tackle carries a significant cap hit of $5.5 million, but he has earned a significant amount of cash overall after inking a one-year $12 million contract this offseason. Houston appears ready to move on from the journeyman starter, and the Steelers would be wise to add him in a trade if Jones continues on his current path.
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