The Steelers traded up to select Georgia’s left tackle Broderick Jones in the first round of last year’s NFL Draft. While they drafted him to play left tackle, the opportunity never presented itself during his rookie year. He started 11 games as a rookie but all came at right tackle.
This offseason, Steelers general manager Omar Khan said the plan is to slide him back to his natural side in 2024. The problem is that the same guy that blocked Jones from playing left tackle in 2023 is still on the roster. This has caused the Steelers to use Jones at both sides during the early portion of the offseason.
“At the end of the day, football is football,” Jones said to reporters at the team’s OTAs. “Right side, left side, in the backfield, it don’t matter, you know, you just got to be ready prepared to play when your name is called. … They still got me swinging both ways just like last year so just got to wait for the season to get here and see what is really set in stone.”
The Steelers used their first round pick on another offensive tackle in 2024 when they drafted Troy Fautanu. With him in the fold, the Steelers plan to move Jones to the left side is coming together. Even though it looks like that is the plan, it could change at a moments notice and Jones is prepared to play on either side.
“I really don’t care what side they put me on,” Jones said “As long as I am in the starting lineup that is fine with me. I am an aggressive player, I am a team player so wherever they need me to play, I am ready to play.”
In a short time, when Moore is no longer around, Jones will be the elder man of the room with a handful of projected future starters being drafted this offseason. Guys like Fautanu and Zach Frazier are expected to start at some point this season while Mason McCormick is projected to start at right guard next year.
Jones, entering his second training camp, she how much those three improved already and it made him reflect on where he was a season ago. Flash forward one year from his rookie days at OTAs and he is being asked for his guidance and knowledge.
“You know, I was thinking yesterday, it’s crazy because I look at them and I think about how I came in last year and needed a bunch of fine-tuning,” Jones said. “I just see them developing each and every day. Getting better at one thing. So it’s just kind of crazy because they look at me for support, but I was just in their shoes last year.”
Jones knows that those are his future blocking mates and is prepared to help them out as much as he can. While Jones still needs to improve himself, his openness to helping will only lead to greater things for the group.
“I just try to help out as much as I can. They’re doing great, everything is not perfect,” Jones said. “But, like I told them yesterday, you’re gonna make mistakes, you’re still young, you still have a lot of football to learn. But at the end of the day, football is still football. Don’t overthink it, don’t try to overcomplicate it. Just play football, and everything will work out.”
Jones will be a starter again in 2024, it is just about what side he plays on. If Moore is the starter at left tackle in Week 1, he won’t survive the season as the likely plan at that point would be to switch Jones over once Fautanu became ready to start at right tackle. Regardless, Jones will be a starter this season and many more seasons to come for the Steelers.
77 • Broderick Jones, Tackle, Georgia
6-foot-5, 311 pounds, 23 years old, 2nd Season
Acquired: The Steelers drafted Jones out of the University of Georgia with the 14th overall pick in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The Steelers traded up in the first round of the draft to be able to select the Georgia product. The team traded pick No. 17 and pick No. 120 to the New England Patriots for the No. 14 pick that they used to select Jones.
Last Year: The Steelers took the slow route with Broderick Jones as a rookie. Despite being a first round pick, Jones did not win the starting job out of camp. He made a spot start in Week 5 but did not win the starting role until Week 9. Jones started 11 games for the Steelers as a rookie, including the last 10 of the season.
As a rookie, Jones played 767 offensive snaps and allowed four sacks while committing two penalties.
College: Coming out of Lithonia High School in Georgia, Jones was regarded as not only one of the best offensive linemen recruits but as one of the top prospects nationally at any position. ESPN rated Jones as the ninth-best prospect in the nation coming out of high school. Jones played in the Under Armour All-American games and eventually decided to stay in-state and play his college football at the University of Georgia.
As a true freshman, Jones appeared in just two games and played 25 offensive snaps. In his freshman season, Jones played right tackle during his two appearances. Pro Football Focus gave Jones a 90.3 rating for his 25 snaps which is considered elite in their rating system. Due to him playing in just two games, 2020 ended up serving as a redshirt season for Jones.
In 2021, Jones appeared in all 15 games and notched four starts at left tackle in place of the injured starter. In 438 offensive snaps, Jones only committed one penalty and earned a 78.8 rating from PFF. Following the season, Jones was named to the coaches’ Freshman All-SEC team.
Jones took over the starting role at left tackle in 2022 as he played and started all 15 games for the Bulldogs as a redshirt sophomore. He played a career-high 933 offensive snaps and committed just two penalties all season. PFF gave him a 78.4 offensive rating in 2022. After the season, Jones was named an Associated Press All-SEC First-Team selection. Jones decided to declare for the 2023 NFL Draft following his 2022 season at Georgia.
In total, Jones appeared in 32 games for the Bulldogs from 2020 to 2022 as he recorded 19 starts at left tackle and two appearances at right tackle.
| Year | Position | GP | GS | Snaps | Penalties | PFF Rating |
| 2020 | RT | 2 | 0 | 25 | 0 | 90.3 |
| 2021 | LT | 15 | 4 | 438 | 1 | 78.8 |
| 2022 | LT | 15 | 15 | 933 | 2 | 78.4 |
Salary cap and future: Jones is entering his second season and will cost the Steelers $3.02 million against the team’s 2024 cap space. Jones is signed to a standard four-year rookie contract that has a fifth-year option attached to it due to him being a first-round draft pick.
Jones’ rookie contract with the Steelers will keep him in Pittsburgh until after the 2026 season which is the earliest he can become a free agent. The Steelers will have the option to keep him with the team through the 2027 season if they chose to exercise Jones’ fifth-year option.
