Broderick Jones appears to be back at practice, at least in a limited capacity as the Pittsburgh Steelers begin Phase 1 of their offseason conditioning program. The team shared a compilation video of workouts from Tuesday afternoon, and Jones was briefly shown doing a backpedal drill with several of his teammates.
Jones suffered a neck injury in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears and missed the rest of the 2025 season. The injury reportedly required spinal-fusion surgery, firmly putting his 2026 season in question. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac later reported he was further along in the process than expected, and likely to be back for training camp as a full participant.
It’s just unpadded conditioning work, and the small glimpse we saw put zero strain on his neck, but Jones participating at all is a good sign. It’s a critical time for him entering the final year of his rookie contract, assuming the Steelers decline his fifth-year option, a decision that is due by May 1.
Dylan Cook filled in admirably over the final several weeks of the season while Jones was injured, but it’s hard to entrust the starting left tackle position to a 28-year-old tackle with just five starts under his belt. For that reason, many have linked the Steelers to offensive tackles at the top of the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft. That’s much less likely if both Jones and Cook are healthy.
Pittsburgh has hosted two tackle prospects for pre-draft visits so far, but both are likely Day 3 picks. That seems more in line with what they would be looking for with the knowledge of Jones’ quick recovery. If the Steelers decline Jones’ fifth-year option, he will hit free agency in March 2027. A solid season with the new coaching staff may force the Steelers to consider the tag or offer a sizable long-term deal, but that would be a good problem to have.
If Jones is indeed on track for a full return, the urgency to find his replacement fades, and the focus shifts back to evaluating whether he can be the Steelers’ long-term answer at left tackle. For now, even limited participation is an encouraging step toward stabilizing one of the most important positions for the 2026 Steelers.
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