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: Will OT Broderick Jones continue taking his lumps in his preseason debut in Tampa?
The Steelers play a football game tonight.
I’ve waited a long time to be able to write that. And a lot of us have waited a long time to be able to see the Steelers field a team with a potential top-flight left tackle. They are hoping first-round pick Broderick Jones will be that guy.
But for the moment, he is locked in a position battle with Dan Moore Jr., the third-year incumbent starter who by some estimations holds the edge in the competition. Jones only had about a dozen-and-a-half starts at the college level, so he comes into the NFL relatively inexperienced.
He’s looked it at times, which is far from uncommon for rookies at any position taken in any round, to be clear. But veteran DE Cameron Heyward did recently note that he’s “still taking his lumps”, some of which the veteran provided for him.
Tonight is his first opportunity to go up against a live opponent with all the marbles that matter for his purposes on the line. The score may not matter, but his performance certainly does, and he can really get Kenny Pickett and Mitch Trubisky sacked.
We don’t know precisely when and how much the Steelers are going to play Jones. We do know that the Buccaneers have some talent off the edge, including Pro Bowler Shaquil Barrett and former first-round draft pick Joe Tryon-Shoyinka.
With training camp winding down, we’ll soon only have these sparse few preseason games from which to judge how players are progressing. The hope is for Jones to make a strong first impression inside of an NFL stadium. The spotlight shouldn’t be too big for him—he started two championship games—but how far along is he in his fundamentals and recognition?
