Pittsburgh Steelers OT Broderick Jones struggled during his sophomore campaign in 2024, but Jones has taken steps to try and improve his game. Per The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo, Jones lost weight this offseason and is now down to “around” 305 pounds after playing at 325 pounds last season.
DeFabo added that Jones said that gives him leeway to add weight during the season and also will improve his mobility, which is one of his biggest strengths.
“I wanted to come back a little leaner just because it gives me a chance to gain weight going into training camp and throughout the season instead of coming back heavy and then having to lose weight just to gain it back, it’s just a hard process,” Jones said via video posted to Steelers.com. “I just wanted to focus on coming back at a good enough weight to where I could maintain but also gain if I had to. I think I’m like 305-310ish, somewhere in that range. Last year I played at 325, 330.”
Coming out of Georgia, Jones weighed in at 313 pounds at the NFL Combine. He played heavier last season, and now with less weight, he should be a more fluid mover. His ability to pull and work out in space was one of his best traits in college, and being a little bit lighter will be beneficial for that aspect of his game.
The ability to add weight is also helpful, as Jones understands how to play heavier and has experience doing it. If he feels he needs to bulk up during the season, he’ll be able to. For Jones, one of his biggest issues last season was his power and hand usage at the point of attack. Potentially being more mobile and fluid could help him fire out quicker, but if he feels he doesn’t have the strength, he can bulk up as necessary.
It’s good to see Broderick Jones put the work in to better himself, as he’s going to be a key factor in the success of Pittsburgh’s offense this season. Depth along the entire offensive line is thin, but Pittsburgh doesn’t have any real reliable option as a third offensive tackle yet. Calvin Anderson, Dylan Cook and Gareth Warren will compete for the swing tackle role, with Anderson having the upper hand, but he wasn’t impressive in limited snaps last season.
That means the onus is going to be on Jones (and Troy Fautanu) to have strong seasons, and with Jones’ struggles last season, there’s some concern about whether he can be a good starter. Putting in the work to slim down and presumably make himself a better player is a positive sign that Jones is serious about improving and that he can be the player the Steelers need him to be this season.
Jones’ improved mobility should also help Pittsburgh’s run game if he can pull more effectively and be a good blocker in space, and an improved run game will go a long way toward making the Steelers’ offense better. Hopefully for the Steelers, the work that Jones has put in manifests itself on the field and he can look like the player the team traded up in the first round for.
