The Steelers are now in Latrobe at Saint Vincent College for the 2023 installment of training camp. They are coming off of a 9-8 season during which they broke in their new quarterback, Kenny Pickett, finishing the year strong by winning seven of their last nine but coming up short of the postseason.
They’ve done a great deal to address what they identified as their shortcomings during the offseason, which included addressing the offensive and defensive lines as well as the secondary and the inside linebacker room, which is nearly entirely different from last year.
From the first day of training camp to the last, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered, including several battles for starting roles. Which veterans might be vulnerable to release? Who are the sleepers who will emerge in camp and make a run at ta roster spot? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout the season, as we have for many years.
Question: How many reps will Broderick Jones will take with the first-team offense at the start of camp?
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin’s response to a question about who would take the first reps at left tackle with the first-team offense was an interesting if unsurprising one. He said that he hadn’t really thought about it—a stock answer, and often likely not entirely true—but that he imagined it would be Dan Moore Jr., the two-year incumbent at the position.
The other option, of course, is the one everyone has their eyes on: rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones. He already got first-team work during the spring, so it won’t exactly be something new either for him or for the team, but the snap distribution will be something to watch.
Also of note is the fact that, one way or another, the Steelers are going to need a swing tackle, and it’s not going to be Le’Raven Clark unless someone gets hurt. So either Moore or Jones will have to get comfortable working on the right side. Moore already started taking reps there in the spring.
But what percentage of snaps with the first-team offense will feature Jones on the field versus the rookie? And how might that evolve over the first couple of weeks? Obviously, once it’s time to decide who is starting that individual is going to need to get all of the work there. But while deciding, both need to get a fair chance.
Often in such situations, Tomlin will set up one player to start one preseason game and then do the same for the other competitor in the next game, with the corresponding body of work during practice. Will we see that approach in effect over the next several weeks in Latrobe?
