No Pittsburgh Steeler is entering a more critical 2025 season than offensive tackle Broderick Jones. General manager Omar Khan’s very first draft pick, Pittsburgh traded up three spots in 2023 to secure him. Inexperienced but talented, Jones was a lump of clay coming out of Georgia.
Two NFL seasons later, he remains a lump of clay. Jones started the latter half of his rookie year, shifting from his college spot of left tackle to replace Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackle. Jones held his own. He didn’t look overwhelmed or overmatched from his very first start, getting the nod on a short week against the Tennessee Titans. His athleticism was evident, his aggression was there, and he showed good hand use to fight in the trenches.
From basically his first sophomore-season reps, his promising rookie season went up in smoke. Jones suffered an early-camp arm injury – or injuries, as he and reporters hinted he had wrist and elbow problems – and he had a miserable preseason. That carried over into regular-season action. Set to split reps in Week 2 with 2024 rookie Troy Fautanu healthy and hot on his heels, Jones was penalized three times on one drive, derailing a promising possession that ended in a punt. Jones was benched midway through the series.
He likely would’ve remained there had Fautanu not suffered a season-ending dislocated kneecap days later, a freak practice injury occurring shortly before Week 3. With no other choices, Jones returned as the full-time starting right tackle. His poor play hardly got better, picking up a bit the second half of the season before he and the rest offense crashed down the stretch.
His own coaches admitted focus and fire were things Jones needed. Too many mental mistakes. Not knowing the snap count or the play, unforced errors that compounded his woes. Coaches didn’t like Jones not finishing his blocks, failing to play with the rugged mentality the offense is supposed to be built around.
Jones enters Year 3 needing all of that. And it could happen. He’s moving back to left tackle and is still young and maturing, not turning 24 until May. But Pittsburgh needs Jones to be pushed. There must be competition to keep his fire burning and ensure he’s properly motivated. Right now, they have nothing.
Losing Dan Moore Jr. was predictable. Replacing him is necessary. So far, Pittsburgh hasn’t. Offensive tackle depth is arguably where the Steelers are weakest. Behind Jones and Fautanu, a pair of young and unproven players, is Dylan Cook. And that’s about it. Spencer Anderson can and has played right tackle, but he spent 2024 focusing on guard. Cook spent it either injured or on the practice squad with zero NFL snaps under his belt. Right now, the Steelers have no Plan B with an awfully shaky Plan A.
Pittsburgh has shown a nasty habit of not pushing its young draft picks. Center Kendrick Green was handed a job he wasn’t ready for. The Steelers failed to have alternatives and rushed him into action leading to predictable disastrous results. Dan Moore faced little push for his job his first two years though his work ethic allowed him to progress. Jones is poised to go down the same path.
Some guys need pushed. Some guys don’t. It’s all case by case. But Jones, given his play, his demeanor, and the results, needs to feel the heat. To have a veteran ready to step in if Jones falters. Through two weeks of free agency, Pittsburgh hasn’t added competition for him.
In fairness, adding is difficult. Any tackle worth their while will be costly, a heavy tax to pay for o-line help on the market. And the market is rarely ever good with high-end talent rarely hitting free agency. The remaining options are underwhelming and a collection of players no one wants starting long-term. Players I’ve mentioned like Charlie Heck and Storm Norton, no one’s idea of All-Pros, are off the board. Jedrick Wills is the top talent left though he, like Jones, has struggled during his early years. The room might get better, but it also gets redundant.
An experienced veteran gives the Steelers’ tackle room something it doesn’t have. And the right person can mentor Jones, Fautanu, and even Cook, just in the way CB Darius Slay’s mentorship can help the team’s young cornerbacks. Perhaps the answer is the Los Angeles Rams’ Joseph Noteboom or Seattle Seahawks’ George Fant. Calvin Anderson could also be re-signed. Someone with Sunday experience at both tackle spots.
Drafting is an option and Pittsburgh’s at least looking, sending assistant offensive line coach Isaac Williams to check out small-school stud Charles Grant at William & Mary Pro Day. But the Steelers aren’t likely to select a tackle early having done so the past two years and needing so many other pieces, and a late-round pick isn’t the push Jones needs. That rookie would need to figure things out himself and earn the coaching staff’s trust.
Jones will enter training camp as the starter. He’s likely to begin the regular season in that role. As he should. This is sink-or-swim time. But to keep Jones focused and engaged, he needs to feel like someone could take his job. That he’s not the only option. And Pittsburgh needs a veteran and backup plan if Jones’ struggles don’t subside, especially now that he’ll be on the blindside likely protecting a 41-year-old Aaron Rodgers (and if not him, then potentially less-than-mobile Mason Rudolph).
The Steelers have wisely focused on investing in their offensive line. Khan’s mission has been clear, attempting to reboot the Steelers’ strategy of the early 2010s, spending premium picks on Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro, and Marcus Gilbert and reaping the long-term rewards. Developing that caliber of line is critical. If Jones doesn’t turn things around, left tackle becomes high on the list of the Steelers’ 2026 needs. Pittsburgh must do everything it can to bring him along. That can be with a helping hand. A push won’t hurt, either.
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