The life of a left tackle is never easy. It’s the NFL. There are no off days. But Broderick Jones is about to face the toughest slate of his career that could shape his season and determine his future.
Starting Sunday. More often than not, Myles Garrett will be his sparring partner. With 13 sacks in 14 career regular-season games against Pittsburgh, Garrett has made a consistent impact. And the Steelers, to their credit, have done better at minimizing Garrett than many other teams. Still, he’s found ways to stuff the stat sheet. A five-star matchup where Jones must meet the moment.
Garrett won’t be his only upcoming test. Days later, on Thursday night, Jones will see Cincinnati Bengals DE Trey Hendrickson. In Week 8, he’ll get a heaping of the Green Bay Packers’ pass rush, a group led by Micah Parsons but also including Rashan Gary, creating a tough matchup no matter the defensive configuration.
Gary and Garrett are in the top ten in sacks. Parsons *only* has 2.5 of them but has played limited snaps following a last-second trade from Dallas to Green Bay.
Pittsburgh will make sure Jones doesn’t fly solo. Any tackle in that situation needs help, and if the Steelers fail to give it, shame on them. A healthy running game that takes the air out of the football and limits obvious passing situations will also do wonders. But there will be times, probably a dozen or so over these next few games, where Pittsburgh has to pass and everyone knows it. Where Rodgers can’t fling the ball out right away. Where Pittsburgh needs its eligibles to run routes instead of chipping and blocking. Where Jones will have to stand up and win a rep.
It doesn’t need to look pretty. Do whatever it takes to keep the quarterback clean. If that means using Pat Meyer’s “spin the spinner” technique, shown by Troy Fautanu below, so be it. Just get the job done.
Jones’ play has progressed this year. Incrementally, not by leaps and bounds, but Jones has settled in. But the offense has helped. Rodgers is getting rid of the ball faster than anyone in the NFL and hardly even testing throws past 10-yards. Rodgers has been his own best protection. That can’t and won’t continue all season. And it can’t be entirely hidden over the course of these three tough matchups.
With a fifth-year option due in May, Jones is in a critical year. That’s no secret. How he handles this stretch of games could be defining. If he shines, it won’t be forgotten when Omar Khan opts to pick up Jones’ option or let him enter a contract year. If he falters, it’ll be another mark against believing in Jones as a long-term option.
This is the inflection point—the crossroads. Jones is out of excuses. He’s a third-year starter. He’s back at left tackle. He’s gotten reps on that side, reacclimating himself after playing on the right his first two years in Pittsburgh. He has a savvy quarterback, a veteran guard adjacent, and the tools and talent to make those plays. Time to make them. Time to sink or swim.
