The Pittsburgh Steelers promoted Omar Khan to be the franchise's general manager in May of the 2022 offseason. Another significant piece of the front office whose name came up around the same time was Khan's now-partner-in-crime, Andy Weidl. Once the hire of Weidl commenced, fans got a good idea of what would be coming in terms of roster construction. The former Philadelphia Eagles executive was known for building in the trenches, and that's exactly what the Steelers have done since the duo of Khan and Weidl took over a little over two years ago.
Khan and Weidl weren't fully in charge for Pittsburgh's draft in 2022, as Kevin Colbert had one last opportunity to welcome new faces to the organization. In 2023, however, the idea of getting big up front was evident nearly right away. Broderick Jones was available outside of the top 10 and a trade was made by the Steelers to move up to the 14th overall spot.
Jones entered the NFL as a raw prospect, not having started too many games at the collegiate level. While many expected him to play left tackle almost immediately, certain situations on the roster saw him be thrown into the fire on the right side. That is where he remains a year and a half later, and it hasn't always been kind to him. The franchise drafted Troy Fautanu, who replaced Jones, but it was short-lived due to the 2024 first-rounder landing on Injured Reserve.
NFL guru Brian Baldinger loves to break down Steelers tape, which led to an interesting film session that he posted on social media. Pittsburgh had Jones on the left side multiple times against the Washington Commanders in Week 10.
Baldinger noted that the Steelers used an unbalanced formation on the goal line and then in the open field. The common link with the plays is that Jones acted as a wall on the left. The breakdown from Baldinger on X only consisted of two plays, but it sure has to have the front office thinking that Jones has the ability to be the left tackle that he was expected to be when drafted.
Dan Moore Jr. hasn't gotten enough credit for his play in 2024, but he ultimately will sign with a new team in the 2025 offseason, due to his expected high price tag. Part of Jones working in on the left side in an unbalanced formation is to enhance Arthur Smith's goal of running the football, but another piece to the puzzle could be the coaching staff easing Jones back into the left tackle area.
Pittsburgh doesn't have too much time to decide what approach to take at left tackle after Moore departs in free agency, but the movement of Jones in certain situations proves to the fan base that the former Georgia Bulldogs lineman is expected to move back to his natural position in 2025. It's also a great thing to see Jones dominating defenders while setting the edge for two different running backs on the left.
Steelers' Offensive Line Rebuild Coming Along Slowly But Surely
It hasn't always been perfect in 2024 for Pittsburgh's offensive line. There have been ups and downs, but the team is sitting at 7-2 and running the ball effectively. This has allowed play-action passes and deep balls to be thrown at a successful rate. Fans have been waiting to see more consistent signs of life from Jones specifically, and Baldinger's breakdown displays that the young lineman is certainly capable of, and probably should be, working on the left side much more often.
