Things aren’t looking good for Pittsburgh Steelers second-year offensive tackle Broderick Jones.
Not only has he been dealing with an elbow injury since the first day of training camp in Latrobe and practicing in padding, he’s also been a mess on the field in the last two preseason games.
It wasn’t any worse than their performance against the Buffalo Bills last Saturday at Acreshur Stadium.
Jones allowed two sacks and multiple pressures, looked really lost at right tackle, struggled in pass protection and the running game, his technique was a mess, his hands were very poor, and his punches were powerless. All of this could be related to an elbow injury, which caused him to wear a large brace on his right arm.
But despite the difficulty and debate over whether rookie Troy Pautanou should start the season if he is healthy and ready to return in time for the team’s first game on the road against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 8, first-year offensive coordinator Arthur Smith has sided with Jones.
“I had a lot of confidence in Broderick,” Smith said. “I think what he did last year was one of the most impressive things for a young player. He came into the league at a very young age, didn’t play much at Georgia, but came in on a short week and played right tackle in a Thursday night game. That’s really impressive.” Smith Amanda Godsey said on YouTube..
Smith also praised Jones’ mindset.
“I like his mindset. He’s another guy who doesn’t run from a fight.”
Jones’ current problem isn’t with the left or right. Yes, left is his more natural position at left tackle and is where he played in college. But right isn’t a new position for him. He played nearly 700 snaps as a rookie and played well all year until he was eliminated late in the season and in the playoffs.
It’s not a matter of inexperience or comfort. Jones has repeatedly told the press that it doesn’t matter which side he’s on, as long as he’s on the field. That’s a good mindset, no doubt.
But the Steelers are not handling Jones well, flipping him back and forth in offseason workouts, minicamps, and training camps during his rookie year and early in the 2024 season. They don’t do that with Pautanu, but they do with Jones.
That doesn’t make much sense.
But despite the current criticism Jones receives from fans and the media for his on-field play, it is certainly comforting to know that the team’s coaches and teammates have his back and appreciate his mindset and spirit. Much like Smith revealed.
Hopefully, the sponsorship will help Jones recapture the form he showed as a rookie, when expectations were high for the Georgia native.
