Broderick Jones has done little by way of proving himself as the Pittsburgh Steelers' left tackle of the present, let alone the future. So, the club took his replacement, Max Iheanachor from Arizona State, in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
Actions speak louder than words, and it's become evident that Jones is fading out of the picture in Pittsburgh. What wasn't as clear was how quickly the Steelers appear to be ready to move on from him, though. But life comes at you fast, especially in football, and here we are.
ESPN's Ben Solak identified Jones as one of 14 veterans "on the hot seat" following this year's Annual Player Selection Meeting. The 2023 No. 14 overall pick's placement on the list was "an obvious one," too.
"It's not hard to read the writing on the wall here," Solak wrote. "Jones' play was already shaky enough that an early pick on a developmental tackle would have been more than justified."
ESPN analyst says the 'obvious' part out loud about Broderick Jones' Pittsburgh Steelers fate
Jones reportedly suffered a setback during his recovery from a serious season-ending neck injury he suffered this past November. Then Iheanachor showed up, and the Steelers declined the former's fifth-year option just days later, as Solak highlighted.
With concerns surrounding Jones' "long-term health," the Steelers "urgently needed a succession plan," so they went out and got one, Solak explained. Meanwhile, recent intel suggests the Georgia product may not be ready for training camp — or Week 1. A murky immediate timeline and uncertain outlook beyond the upcoming campaign put him "in jeopardy of a major role reduction."
The Steelers have already invested heavily in the heir apparent to Jones; that's an ominous sign for his standing with the franchise. He's done little to instill any hope of becoming a stalwart blindside protector (regardless of who's been under center) on the field. Suddenly, Pittsburgh doesn't even know when to expect him back in action.
Across 632 offensive snaps (11 games) in 2025, Jones allowed 23 quarterback pressures, 11 hurries, six hits, and six sacks. His 57.7 overall Pro Football Focus grade ranked 70th among 89 qualified tackles. He turns 25 on May 16, yet it remains to be seen what lies ahead for him.
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