It seemed as though the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offensive line was rounding into form around the middle of the season. It hadn’t been nearly effective in recent weeks, but the unit put forth better effort the last time out. That was not by coincidence, according to interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner.
“The biggest difference in that game I felt like for us was the strain to compete”, he said, via transcript provided by the team’s media relations department. “You saw guys straining all over the field, whether it be at the receiver position or o-line or the tight end, the backs. The guys were straining to finish blocks. That was awesome to see”.
He added that it was a point of emphasis for the Steelers coming out of their recent three-game losing streak. “We need to strain and put it on tape”, he said, “and they did it”. That included rookie RT Broderick Jones, who has struggled as much as anyone recently, including last week.
“Broderick has progressed the way we thought he would”, Faulkner insisted. “He’s a smart guy. Loves ball. Continues to clean up things technically with his coaches week-in and week-out and we just expect that to continue”.
The 14th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jones was drafted to be the left tackle of the future, but the first vacancy in the starting lineup was on the right side. That’s where he’s played for most of the season now. While he seemed to take to it well initially, he has looked less rather than more comfortable as the year has worn on.
Our Alex Kozora pondered the question recently if the Steelers are going down the Kevin Dotson path with Jones. Dotson, a 2020 fourth-round pick, had only previously played right guard before arriving in the NFL. He played well there initially, but never looked as comfortable at left guard.
Traded to the Los Angeles Rams just before the season started, he has been graded as one of the best interior linemen in the NFL. He recently credited in part the Rams’ decision to move him back to right guard for his success there.
By this point in the year, of course, the offensive linemen should be doing a lot more than straining to get by. They should be thriving. They have invested in free agency and the draft the last two years, but clearly it doesn’t appear as though their work is finished.
Even with the strain, the offense still only managed 113 yards on the ground at 3.8 yards per clip. They did a better job in pass protection, holding the Cincinnati Bengals to just one sack of Mason Rudolph, but this is not the unit that is steering the offense that the front office aspired to this offseason.
Of course, nobody should be writing off Jones. He’s still young and learning and likely not even playing where he will wind up next season. Right now he’s gaining valuable experience and versatility. But as we sit here today, it would feel foolish if they try to leave him at right tackle for the long haul.
