Even though the battle for the starting left tackle job continues late into training camp for the Pittsburgh Steelers, it’s not affecting the relationship between incumbent starter Dan Moore Jr. and rookie first-rounder Broderick Jones.
Throughout the offseason and into training camp, the two have pushed each other in a healthy fashion while lending help and advice in all situations, especially Moore. It can be tough having a rookie come in with such hype and anticipation, which can create some animosity.
That isn’t the case in Pittsburgh.
While Moore played just 10 snaps in the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, exiting the game with the starters, Jones logged a team-high 49 snaps in the Steelers’ 27-17 win, playing through the end of the game at left tackle getting all the reps he could possibly get. Still raw and developing, Jones had an up and down night in the eyes of many.
For Moore though, the rookie played well for his first foray into the NFL landscape.
“I thought he played well, honestly. Just helping him understand that over attrition of a game, you’re gonna get tired, just mentally staying locked in and, and not falling asleep from a mental standpoint,” Moore said of Jones, according to video via KDKA TV’s Bob Pompeani. “But I thought he played well in the game.”
For the most part, Jones did play well.
The 49 snaps were a lot for the first preseason game of the year, but he handled it very well from a conditioning standpoint and had some flashes in pass protection and as a run blocker. There were inconsistencies, too.
Coming out of the preseason matchup against the Buccaneers, it was a bit of a mixed bag for Jones. NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger had some critiques about Jones’ hand usage and footwork, and he was not the only one to critique the hand usage. NFL.com’s Chad Reuter highlighted the late hands from Jones in his piece handing out grades to rookies over the weekend, giving Jones a C-.
With the performance having some good and some bad, there’s a lot of work to do for Jones moving forward. That’s not a surprise, and the work only gets done with more reps and more playing time. Therefore, Jones could see a high number of snaps in the next two preseason games as the Steelers continue to develop him and get him up to speed.
It’s important to remember that Jones played in just 19 career games at college, including 13 starts at left tackle. It’s going to take some time. The tools are there; it’s all about development now. He has the support of Moore, which is massive within that offensive line room. As Mike Tomlin likes to say, “each one, teach one.”
Moore is doing that, pushing the guy who will eventually replace him to be the best he can be.
