When the Pittsburgh Steelers open up the 2025 season, third-year offensive tackle Broderick Jones should remain in the starting lineup. Just on the other side. After spending his first two years primarily playing right tackle, he’s expected to flip back to the left side, his “natural” position he played in college and the spot the Steelers drafted him to line up at.
In an offseason overview that included guessing the fate of the Steelers’ unrestricted free agents, a list that included veteran Dan Moore Jr., the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo mentioned Jones figures to be on the move to replace him.
“Moore has been the starting left tackle for four seasons, but the Steelers want to move Broderick Jones to the left side and insert Troy Fautanu as their right tackle. That makes Moore expendable.”
It’s not a major revelation but confirmation of the team’s plans. Moore held off back-to-back first round tackle selections of Jones and Troy Fautanu to remain the Steelers’ left tackle. But at the expense of signing him long-term and the realization the Steelers eventually need both their top picks in the lineup, Moore is expected to sign elsewhere in 2025.
Though Fautanu was a college left tackle, Pittsburgh seems intent keeping him on the right side and moving Jones back to his original spot. There’s a case to be made for the Steelers to do the inverse and keep Jones at right tackle given his work there through two years. Fautanu would have less to unlearn after missing most of his rookie year with knee injuries. But perhaps the team thinks Jones shifting back to left tackle will improve his game after regressing as a sophomore.
Fittipaldo suggests the team re-sign Calvin Anderson, signed mid-season who finished out the team’s playoff loss after Moore hurt his ankle. Anderson might not be the optimal name but adding a veteran tackle to compete with Jones, and replace him should he falter, is wise.
Given their investments in the o-line, the Steelers must hit on both of these picks. Jones enters a critical third year in which he must play well, especially now that he’s protecting the quarterback’s blind side. He struggled in pass protection while coaches didn’t like his effort or finish. Early-season arm and elbow injuries did him no favor. The Steelers were excited about Fautanu when he was healthy but he still enters his sophomore year with one career start, meaning there’s little known about him.
Pittsburgh is set to enter 2025 with one of the NFL’s youngest offensive lines. They’re projected to start three second-year players in center Zach Frazier, right guard Mason McCormick, and Troy Fautanu, a third-year in Broderick Jones, leaving left guard Isaac Seumalo as the only veteran up front.
