Is it too early to be concerned about Broderick Jones?
The Steelers traded up in the first round to draft Broderick Jones last year. He failed to win a starting job as a rookie but took over at right tackle midseason. The Steelers placed big expectations on him for a second-year jump and a move to left tackle, but so far, things are not working out as planned.
Through two preseason games, Jones remains at right tackle, though that is at least partly due to rookie Troy Fautanu’s MCL injury. He has said himself that he can’t think about left tackle until Fautanu returns, but that’s only one issue. The fact is he has struggled over the past two preseason games, and it’s hard to say how much is due to an injury that he is dealing with.
Right now, he is not playing like a starter, nor is he playing the position the Steelers drafted him to play. But is it too early to be concerned about Broderick Jones and where his career is going? On the whole, he played pretty well, and physically, at right tackle last year. Are his injuries holding him back, a short-term problem with the only fix being the passage of time?
The way things are headed, we can’t say that it won’t be Dan Moore Jr. and Troy Fautanu out there. Moore has arguably been the Steelers’ best tackle this offseason, so someone has to take his job. Of course, the Steelers have barely even played Broderick Jones at left tackle, making it hard to win the job.
And the way he has looked in-stadium this year, there is no guarantee that he could win it. Jones doesn’t look like he is ready to be out there Week 1 right now—but it’s not Week 1. Granted, we’re getting close, but there is still time, and another preseason test. If he looks much better against the Lions, we’ll all calm down. But if he struggles again, is it time to panic or to be patient?
The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, following another disappointing year that culminated in a first-round playoff loss. The only change-up in the annual formula lately is whether they exit early or miss the playoffs altogether. They have had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills stamped them out of their misery back in January.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? How will the team continue to address the depth chart?
The Steelers are in training camp and the preseason and the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Some they managed to fill, others not so much. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
