The path of development is rarely linear, especially in professional sports.
Pittsburgh Steelers rookie offensive tackle Broderick Jones is learning that first-hand. It’s been anything but a linear path for Jones, the No. 14 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft after the Steelers traded up to land him. In his time so far in Pittsburgh, Jones has been in and out of the lineup due to injury and disciplinary decisions.
He’s played some left tackle, starting one game in Week Five against the Baltimore Ravens at his natural position. But, on Thursday Night Football on a short week against the Tennessee Titans in Week Nine, Jones moved to right tackle in the starting lineup as the Steelers benched veteran Chukwuma Okorafor. Jones delivered a promising showing against the Titans at the new position.
In the process, Jones also moved into a tie for the top spot in Pro Football Focus’ highest-graded rookie offensive tackles, joining Chicago Bears right tackle Darnell Wright at the top of the charts.
On the season, Jones grades out at a 64.3 overall, which is tied with Wright in first place. Other names drafted ahead of him include Arizona’s Paris Johnson Jr., who grades out at a 50.1 and is the sixth-best rookie offensive tackle from PFF.
“Jones made his first career start at right tackle and was mediocre. He allowed just a single hurry in pass protection, though he did lose two other reps. His best play in the run game was a nice second-level block that paved the way for Najee Harris to score in the first quarter,” PFF’s Dalton Wasserman writes regarding Jones’ Week Nine performance against the Titans. “He was inconsistent in that facet as well, though, as he was graded negatively five times in the run game. Considering he played just 36 snaps at right tackle in college, and none before this week in the NFL, Jones did a reasonable job on Thursday night.”
Jones had some experience at right tackle dating back to his time at Georgia, as Wasserman pointed out. Just 36 snaps isn’t exactly anything to write home about though. Jones’ Week Nine grade against the Titans of just a 58.8 overall might be “mediocre” from PFF’s perspective, but the tape tells a different story.
For a young piece making a position change on a short week, Jones played quite well. Just one pressure allowed on 30 drop backs is pretty impressive at an unnatural position, and the rookie also played a pivotal part in the Steelers’ run game getting going, rushing for 155 yards and a touchdown on the night.
Jones had a key block on Harris’ 10-yard touchdown to open the scoring, and then had some key blocks on a trio of Jaylen Warren runs that really sparked the offense. He was the athletic, physical specimen that the Steelers believed they were getting when they traded up for him in April.
We’ll see if the Georgia product sticks in the starting lineup at right tackle moving forward. He certainly earned the role, performing better in his first game there than Okorafor has all season. But the Steelers have taken the rookie out of the lineup before to give the job back to a veteran.
