Now that the 2020 regular season has begun, following a second consecutive season in which they failed to even reach the playoffs, it’s time to take stock of where the Pittsburgh Steelers stand. Specifically where Steelers players stand individually based on what we are seeing over the course of the season as it plays out. Who is making plays? Who is missing them? Who is losing snaps? Who is struggling to stay on the field?
A stock evaluation can take a couple of different approaches and I’ll try to make clear my reasonings. In some cases it will be based on more long-term trends. In other instances it will be a direct response to something that just happened. So we can see a player more than once over the course of the season as we move forward.
Player: T Jarron Jones
Stock Value: Down
Reasoning: First-year offensive tackle Jarron Jones, currently a member of the practice squad, was arrested a couple of nights ago and charged with aggravated assault, simple assault, and strangulation following a domestic dispute with a woman he had been dating.
In other words, it’s quite likely that Jarron Jones will soon be a former member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Originally signed shortly before the 2020 NFL Draft from the XFL, Jones is a former defensive lineman whom the Steelers have been working on getting back into working on the offensive side of the ball. They saw enough in him during training camp to keep him on the practice squad, though they didn’t think enough of him to call him up after Zach Banner’s injury. Instead, they signed one of their former draft picks, Jerald Hawkins, who happened to be sitting on the Houston Texans’ practice squad.
Long story short, Jones is accused of strangling the woman he had been dating. The woman also claims that he struck her in the face with a gaming console. In the police report, abrasions and bruises were noted by the officers. Jones claims that he picked her up by the back and legs and placed her outside.
These types of situations are a death sentence for a player with no pull. Last year, Kameron Kelly got arrested and he was gone in a hurry. He was a member of the 53-man roster and had even started a game. Jones has never even been in a preseason game with the team.
The Steelers already have two other tackles on the practice squad in Anthony Coyle and Brandon Watson, the latter of whom was signed there a couple of weeks ago after Derwin Gray was promoted to the 53-man roster following Stefen Wisniewski having been placed on injured reserve.
In other words, there really isn’t even a logistical reason for Pittsburgh not to cut ties with Jones, at least for the time being. In the event that the charges are somehow all proven to be false, perhaps they give him a look again. But don’t expect him to be a Steeler for much longer, which should surprise nobody.
