The Steelers can’t guarantee Broderick Jones will be healthy enough to play, so what does that mean for the draft? During the Combine last month, GM Omar Khan’s comments about his condition raised some concerns. Merely hoping that he might be ready to participate in training camp isn’t what many hoped for.
In fact, we later learned that Jones underwent spinal fusion surgery. While it’s an injury players come back from all the time, it does present some risks. And the recovery time can be an issue, as well. Asante Samuel Jr. had spinal fusion surgery last offseason and wasn’t available until into the regular season. So what should the Steelers be thinking at tackle in the draft?
“If it was up to me, my ‘concern’ wouldn’t be first-round pick concern”, Bob Labriola wrote for the Steelers’ website about the Steelers drafting a tackle in light of Broderick Jones’ status. “But based on the latest medical information on the eve of the draft, it might become late Day 2 pick concern”.
By late Day 2, we can reasonably assume he is talking about the third round. The Steelers have three third-round draft picks this year, one of which could certainly go to a tackle to develop behind Broderick Jones and others, should he return.
The Steelers have Troy Fautanu at right tackle, and Dylan Cook showed promise filling in for Jones. Should he be unable to play, Cook would be the favorite to start in his place. Depending upon how the draft unfolds, however, the Steelers could certainly add a tackle early. I agree with Labriola that the first round is exceedingly unlikely, unless a top player plummet to them.
Beyond his injury status, Broderick Jones hasn’t developed into the franchise left tackle the Steelers expected when they made him a first-round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He was young and needed time to develop, and he has dealt with some instability. That included moving from left tackle to right, and then from right to left last season. Labriola had some thoughts on that, as well.
“To me, the Broderick Jones situation should be a cautionary tale to the idea of flipping No. 1 picks from one end of the offensive line to the other”, he wrote in a separate answer. “This is the NFL, not Madden NFL 2026. But maybe that’s just me”.
Jones is entering his fourth season, and the Steelers must soon decide whether to exercise his fifth-year option. It seems like a foregone conclusion that they would not, as doing so would guarantee a large 2027 salary. Meanwhile, they don’t even know for sure that he’ll ever play football again. With Dylan Cook in their back pocket, and additional resources, the Steelers could certainly draft a tackle in the early rounds, though. In the worst-case scenario, it would provide them with valuable depth they can develop for the future.
Recommended for you