There’s still two days of practice and preparation ahead for the Pittsburgh Steelers ahead of the Week 10 matchup at Acrisure Stadium against the Green Bay Packers, but veteran offensive tackle Chukwuma Okorafor said Wednesday that he expects “the same thing as last week” regarding the situation at right tackle, according to a tweet from ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
That same situation means that rookie Broderick Jones is in line to make his second straight start at right tackle after being inserted into the lineup last Thursday against the Tennessee Titans on a short week. The first-round draft pick replaced Okorafor, who was benched for a disciplinary reason.
In his first start at right tackle, Jones played well. In 64 snaps, he allowed just one pressure and was a key part of the Steelers rushing for 166 yards on the night with one touchdown, providing them with a physical, athletic piece in the trenches.
Jones played so well that the Steelers ultimately made him a co-starter at right tackle entering Week 10, putting him in line to make another start at right tackle, though head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed that. He stated the Steelers would take a look at Jones in Week 10 but that nothing was guaranteed.
Okorafor seems to know, though, and why wouldn’t he? The Steelers are back in the facility Wednesday after the mini bye, having Tuesday off with Monday being an optional day. They’ll hit the practice field today to start preparing for Green Bay. Chances are, Jones is the guy at right tackle, barring anything stunning.
For Okorafor, it’s got to be a bit frustrating knowing that he was benched for his actions, rather than his play on the field.
“I’ve talked to coach T[omlin], I’ve talked to my coach and all that. That doesn’t seem to be the case,” Okorafor said to reporters regarding why he was benched, according to the tweet from Pryor. “And I mean I feel like that wasn’t the case at all. So all I can do now is take it day by day and see how things play out.”
A lot can happen between now and Sunday. Okorafor is keeping his head down and working. Who knows if that can get him back on the field, but this is a big test for him moving forward, not only in Pittsburgh but in the NFL overall, seeing how he deals with adversity.
