One of the key themes of Pittsburgh Steelers training camp has always been iron sharpening iron. Getting talented guys going up against each other to make them both work to win the matchup and make them both better has been a hallmark at Saint Vincent College, and 2023 was no different.
OLB Alex Highsmith has emerged as one of the league’s best pass rushers, and with the Steelers pitting Dan Moore Jr. and rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones up against each other for the left tackle job, they saw a lot of matchups against Highsmith. Talking to the media after Pittsburgh’s final preseason practice yesterday, Highsmith talked about getting better from going up against both Moore and Jones.
“Going against both Dan and Broderick, it was a good challenge going up against them in camp. We’re making each other better. And I think that was Coach Tomlin always putting us together one-on-one, doing what he can to sharpen on iron. So I think just bringing out that competitive edge really helped us all,” Highsmith said via the Post-Gazette Sports YouTube channel.
The left tackle battle was probably Pittsburgh’s biggest position battle throughout training camp. With Jones being drafted in the first round and the expectation being that he’s the team’s left tackle of the future, there was a lot of intrigue around how he’d perform. While he’s had his moments, Moore hardly surrendered a first-team rep to Jones and the praise for him and how hard he’s worked has been effusive all throughout camp.
There’s no doubt both players got better by working against Highsmith every day, though. Highsmith has a bag of pass rush moves he can pull out at a moment’s notice, and learning how to adapt and counter someone who picked up 14.5 sacks last season is key. And for Highsmith, going up against an incredibly athletic tackle in Jones and someone who’s been in the league and still developing in Moore is going to help him refine and improve his game.
Highsmith also talked about Jones’ development and said that he thinks his athleticism, movement and hands are going to be the tools that help him succeed in the NFL.
With two preseason games left, the left tackle battle is far from over. But it sounds like the Steelers will be in good hands with whoever wins it. If it’s Moore now, Jones will still be a productive player down the line for the Steelers, and if it’s Jones, it’ll be exciting to see some new blood on the offensive line. Their work with Highsmith surely has them well-prepared for the various defenders they’ll face at the NFL level, and it’s going to be fun to watch the offensive line work this year.
