One week after making his first career start at right tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones might be staying there moving forward in 2023.
In an official updated depth chart released by the Steelers Tuesday morning, Jones was listed as a co-starter at right tackle with veteran Chukwuma Okorafor, whom he replaced in the starting lineup in Week Nine against the Tennessee Titans.
Jones had played just 36 snaps in college at Georgia at right tackle and hadn’t played a single snap in the NFL at the position before making the start against the Titans on a short week. Jones played well in his debut at right tackle, playing 64 snaps, allowing just one pressure as the Steelers rushed for 155 yards and a touchdown and kept quarterback Kenny Pickett upright and clean, allowing just two quarterback hits and no sacks as a team.
Along with Jones being listed as the co-starter at the position, rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. is officially listed as the starting cornerback ahead of Levi Wallace on the updated depth chart. That is no surprise though as head coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Teryl Austin have made it clear in recent weeks that the Penn State product and second-round pick is the starter moving forward.
The decision to put Jones into the lineup came on a short week, which led to Tomlin stating after the Thursday night win over the Titans that the Steelers needed a spark offensively, and he made the decision to put Jones into the lineup. However, Okorafor revealed after the game to reporters that he was benched due to something he said on the field late in the Week Eight loss at home to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Though Jones played well in his debut at right tackle, it’s unclear if he will remain the starter moving forward as the one-week decision could have just been a disciplinary thing from Tomlin to send a message.
We’ll see what the head coach has to say Tuesday during his weekly press conference.
