The Steelers are now back at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, facing down a long regular season that looks a lot more promising given how things have gone leading up to it. Finishing just above .500 last year, they anticipate being able to compete with any team in the league this season with second-year QB Kenny Pickett leading the way.
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. The results have been positive so far.
Even well into the regular season and beyond, there are going to be plenty of questions that need answered. When will the core rookies get to play, or even start? Is the depth sufficient where they upgraded? Can they stand toe-to-toe with the Bengals and the other top teams in the league? 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 Broderick Jones show his pedigree in his first career start?
The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the first round to get T Broderick Jones for a reason. I know that I don’t even need to say what that is. But today may be our first taste of just that. The Georgia Bulldog will be making his first career start against the Baltimore Ravens, and the hope is that it will be the first of at least 100…or perhaps 200.
Through the first four games of his rookie season, however, Jones has sat on the bench, barring injury. He did get extended playing time this past week due to starting LT Dan Moore Jr. going down early with a knee injury. It didn’t entirely go well, but he had his moments, more so in the run game.
On this occasion, he will have a full week to prepare as a starter, and he will have also had the opportunity to practice in pads on top of that. One would hope that this is as close to an ideal opportunity for him to get his first start as possible.
Jones came out of college still fairly raw and lacking some of the extensive experience other top tackles might have had, only with about a season and a half of starting experience. I don’t think anybody was surprised that he didn’t open the year as the starter.
But even if due to injury, he will have his opportunity to prove his pedigree, and against a quality opponent in the Ravens. NT Michael Pierce in the middle, with Justin Madubuike and Broderick Washington, not to mention their linebackers, Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen.
The Ravens rank third in scoring defense and total defense, allowing the third-fewest passing yards and seventh-fewest rushing yards. Jones will have his hands full, but we should get a good idea of where he is in his developmental arc.
