The Pittsburgh Steelers have made significant investments in the offensive line under Omar Khan. From his first draft to the present, this team has drafted six offensive linemen, with most of those investments coming in the early rounds of the draft.
Overall, the group has made some significant improvements. Zach Frazier and Troy Fautanu are ascending players, Mason McCormick is a steady mauler, and the two rookies added this year (Max Iheanachor and Gennings Dunker) have a lot of potential.
Unfortunately, the player who started off these investments, Brodrick Jones, has not developed into a star.
With another first-round tackle in the fold, Jones is on his way out. In fact, it could be as early as this year if the right offer develops.
The Pittsburgh Steelers could have a unique trade chip in Broderick Jones
It hasn’t been all bad with Jones. While inconsistent, he has flashed the traits you want in a starting tackle at times. Still young and on a cheap rookie deal, there would be plenty of teams interested in adding him.
Offensive line talent is at a premium in the NFL. Typically, those available for trade are extremely undesirable, on bloated contracts, or more often than not, both.
Jones is unique as he has significant starting experience, still has the potential to be a good player, and won’t break the bank on his current deal. A contending team in need of a tackle should jump at that opportunity.
Now, the key here will be Jones proving that he is healthy. That seems like a major reason why the Steelers drafted a tackle as early as they did.
However, he is already back practicing with the team, so he appears to be on the right track. Similarly, the team will also have to be confident that Iheanachor can start right away. Considering he is raw, that may also be a stretch.
If those pieces fall into place, though, Jones could be in an awkward spot. Considering this team needs draft ammo for 2027, Jones could prove to be a valuable piece. A lot of other things need to happen first, but Jones could be shipped out during training camp.
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