One of the best Steelers offensive linemen in recent history was C Maurkice Pouncey, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2010. Pouncey is a five-time All-Pro, so he knows a thing or two about offensive line play, and on a recent appearance on Ben Roethlisberger’s Footbahlin podcast, Pouncey advocated for the team to keep playing 2023 first-round pick OT Broderick Jones on both sides of the offensive lines.
“If you’re stuck in one position, I’m telling you right now, you’re not only hurting yourself, but you’re hurting the team,” Pouncey said. “There’s only seven linemen that actually go there on a gameday that you guys can count on to go out and replace a guy if he gets hurt. So I think Broderick has to do a good job of accepting, like, man, listen, you’re a tackle. Like, you’re gonna be a swing tackle in every position. Maybe you go in as a big tight end on some plays. Like understand the game of football, it’s bigger than one position.”
Pouncey said he feels Jones is doing a “good job” so far and that Jones played “phenomenal” in Week 3 against the Los Angeles Chargers.
It was a solid rebound performance from Broderick Jones, who struggled when rotating in with OT Troy Fautanu in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos, committing three penalties on one series. But with Fautanu dealing with a knee injury that landed him on IR, Jones was thrust back into the starting lineup at right tackle.
The Steelers have said that their long-term goal with Jones is to move him to left tackle, and he would’ve worked on both and served as Pittsburgh’s swing tackle had Fautanu not gone down. With Dan Moore Jr. set to be a free agent after this season, it would make sense if Jones were at left tackle long-term, but most of his NFL experience now is going to be on the right side, given that’s where he played the majority of last season. It’s where he’ll play the entirety of the regular season this year.
But he can do both, and Pouncey thinks that continuing to train to play on both sides is the best move for Jones. The fact that he’ll have experience at left tackle from college and now more experience in the NFL at right tackle, it gives the Steelers some flexibility when it comes to their long-term options with him. Fautanu will likely serve as Pittsburgh’s right tackle long-term given that’s where the team stated they want him to play after drafting him.
Tackle-eligible packages could’ve been an option, with Broderick Jones serving in that role until Fautanu got injured. Still, the Steelers rolled some out yesterday with Mason McCormick as an extra offensive lineman. Either way, it serves Jones best to continue to be able to play both sides of the line, even with his short-term future likely at right tackle and his long-term future likely at left tackle. He’ll need to continue to show that he can play the way he did against the Chargers to prove that he can start in the league. However, it was a good rebound performance on Sunday, and hopefully, Jones can continue to play that way.
