When Pittsburgh Steelers training camp began, all eyes were on Aaron Rodgers, Jalen Ramsey, and the newcomers. Fans were excited to see how their acquisitions would mesh and what roles rookies like Derrick Harmon and Kaleb Johnson would play early in camp. But it only took one practice to remind us of a concerning first-round draft pick.
On the first practice of Steelers camp 2025, Broderick Jones had a disastrous rep against Alex Highsmith. Highsmith fooled Jones on an inside 'ghost' move, and Broderick barely got a hand on the edge rusher for what was guaranteed to be a sack (had it been a full-contact session).
And just like that, we're worried about Broderick Jones all over again.
Omar Khan didn't hesitate to share during the offseason that Jones would be moving back to left tackle. Just as planned, that's where Jones has been lining up early at Steelers training camp, taking all the first-team reps.
Sadly, the 2023 first-round pick looks just the same as he did the past two seasons when he was playing right tackle. With Jones' early struggles, the Steelers must have a backup plan in place if things go south.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must be prepared to replace Broderick Jones if he struggles in his third NFL season
We can blame Mike Tomlin all we want. Yes, the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach should have just made Broderick Jones a left tackle from his rookie season. Had he done that, Jones would already have two years of experience at the position instead of one game.
But at some point, Jones has to be held responsible for his own performance... and the Steelers need a backup plan if struggles continue.
Right now, Calvin Anderson is working as the backup left tackle behind Jones, but Anderson struggled in limited action when called upon last season, and at 29 years old, it's not like the team is keeping him around for his upside. The Steelers need more stability at the position.
The best option on the free agent market might be Jedrick Wills. However, the former first-round pick struggled with the Cleveland Browns last year and has been dealing with knee issues. Unfortunately, Wills intends to sit out part (if not all) of the 2025 season to get back to full health.
With offensive tackles in short supply, teams aren't giving them away. The Steelers may need to swap a Day 3 draft pick to a team that has impressive tackle depth. If not, they'll be forced to live with the consequences.
It's just one practice; there's still hope that Broderick Jones will turn things around and finally look like the player they drafted him to be in Year 3. But if his struggles continue, the Pittsburgh Steelers will find themselves with a massive dilemma at offensive tackle.