The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly intend to start rookie Troy Fautanu as soon as possible—but Broderick Jones has to wait. To wait, specifically, to move over to left tackle on a full-time basis, which is a mistake. Now that the Steelers have decided that Fautanu is ready, it is imperative that they pull the trigger on Jones.
The Steelers drafted Broderick Jones to start at left tackle, which general manager Omar Khan reaffirmed in February. Yet the reality is he has seen relatively little work at left tackle, his natural position, throughout the offseason. While he has seen time there, including in Friday’s preseason game, he has largely remained on the right side. He has only taken first-team reps with Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle, playing on the right side
Continuing to operate that way makes little sense if the Steelers intend to start Troy Fautanu when healthy. The rookie suffered a minor MCL sprain in the preseason opener, but Gerry Dulac reports that they are ready to make him the starter.
The immediate move should be to move Broderick Jones over to first-team left tackle and kick Moore to the second-team group. Until Fautanu returns from injury, the Steelers can give Spencer Anderson and Dylan Cook reps there. Moore can feel free to jump into the line if he wants, as well.
Quite honestly, Jones sounds frustrated by the whole thing, knowing that he will eventually be the left tackle but unable to get significant team reps there. He said a week ago that he still doesn’t know what the plan is, and Fautanu’s injury is another hurdle.
“Honestly, I really can’t worry about left tackle right now with Troy being hurt”, Dulac quoted Jones saying about Fautanu’s injury. “I’m just trying to focus of getting those reps against T.J. [Watt] and just taking advantage of those and just continuing to get better on the right side”.
The Steelers made the right decision, if true, to start Fautanu as soon as possible; but they are making the wrong decision if they don’t immediately move Jones to the left side on a full-time basis. It is well past time that they allow him to commit to his future, and there are no excuses left. Again, assuming that Dulac’s report is true, which the Steelers obviously will not confirm.
They are putting Jones through the reverse of what he experienced as a rookie. The Steelers played him consistently at left tackle throughout the offseason, hoping that he would win the job right away. With only minimal work on the right side, he eventually took over there midseason.
Now, once again, he is committing the vast majority of his time playing a position he will not play during the regular season, barring an emergency. Presumably, he will be the second-team right tackle, Moore jumping in at left. But he has already worked on the right side, and several games’ worth of experience. It’s time. Broderick Jones deserves to play on the left side from now on.
