Broderick Jones had an underwhelming 2024 season. After a fine rookie campaign, there was hope that Jones would take a step forward in his second NFL season. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen. Jones spent last offseason flipping between left and right tackle, and it felt like that uncertainty helped stunt his growth. He even got benched early last year, before injuries thrust him back into the starting lineup. This year, he should be the Steelers’ starter at left tackle on a young offensive line, and Aaron Rodgers is expecting big things from Jones.
“Up front, the right side is all second-year guys,” Rodgers said Tuesday on The Pat McAfee Show. “Starting with Zach [Frazier] at center, who they all love. And he looks the part for sure. We’ve got a right tackle [Troy Fautanu] coming back from an injury last year. Then, we’ve got a vet, Isaac [Seumalo], left guard. And we’ve got big Broderick [Jones] at left tackle, who we’re expecting big things from.”
The Steelers’ offensive line is full of youth. Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu should be the team’s right guard and right tackle, respectively. While McCormick got a lot of experience last year, Fautanu lost most of his rookie season to a knee injury. Frazier looks like that unit’s best player, having had a stellar first NFL season in 2024.
Seumalo is the trusty veteran of the group, and then there’s Jones. This will be his third NFL season, and it could be make or break for him. Last season saw him battle back from a lot of adversity. His willingness to commit to the team, despite being benched, is commendable.
However, his play needs to improve. In 2024, Pro Football Focus charged him with allowing 10 sacks and being called for 10 penalties. That won’t be good enough this year. Rodgers is 41 years old, and Jones will be in charge of protecting his blind side. If the Steelers want to succeed, they’ll need to limit the number of times their quarterback is hit.
There are some reasons to believe that Jones can turn things around. For starters, he’ll be playing left tackle this year rather than right tackle, which is where he’s spent most of his time in the NFL. While having him flip sides might not seem like a great idea, Jones might find himself more comfortable on the left side. That was his primary position during his final season in college, after all.
If Jones doesn’t show improvement, then his time in Pittsburgh could be coming to an end. The Steelers might decide not to pick up his fifth-year option, which would leave the 2026 season as the last year of his contract.
There’s no reason to give up on him yet, though. Rodgers seems to believe in Jones, so hopefully, the young lineman can prove his quarterback right. If Jones’ shores up his play, the Steelers’ offensive line could seriously improve. The unit is only as strong as its weakest link.
