After showing up to training camp having dropped a significant amount of weight entering a big third season, Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive lineman Broderick Jones has reportedly added about 10 pounds back onto his frame.
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Steelers insider and 102.5 WDVE pre-game co-host Gerry Dulac revealed the added weight for Jones ahead of the preseason opener Saturday night in Jacksonville.
“I wanna see how Broderick Jones…he’s put some of the weight on,” Dulac said of Jones, according to audio via 102.5 WDVE. “He’s put 10 more pounds back on that he had off him when he reported to camp.”
Following his first two seasons at right tackle, Jones is transitioning to left tackle this season, returning to the position he was drafted to play as a first-round pick in 2023. According to reports, with the move to left tackle, Jones came into Organized Team Activities and mandatory minicamp down around the 290-pound mark.
That drop in weight was designed to make Jones a bit more athletic, fitting the Steelers’ zone rushing attack under offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
With that drop in weight, Jones looked good during the summer, particularly in offseason activities. But once training camp kicked off in Latrobe, Jones had some struggles early on. According to longtime Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly, Jones got off to a rough start, raising some concerns about the move to left tackle.
Then, Jones suffered a groin injury that he battled through for a few days, missing some action. But in recent days, as noted by Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora, Jones has looked better and is starting to play some sound football.
After allowing the second-most sacks in the NFL last season, Jones is entering a pivotal stretch in his NFL career. With his move back to left tackle, Jones has a big opportunity in front of him to solidify himself as the bookend tackle for the Black and Gold moving forward.
He’ll be doing so opposite fellow first-round offensive tackle Troy Fautanu, marking the first time the Steelers have had two homegrown bookend first-round offensive tackles in the lineup. A lot is riding on Jones at left tackle. If he can be what the Steelers expect, the offensive line should be a strength.
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