After a disappointing season-opener from Broderick Jones, the Pittsburgh Steelers were ready to move forward with rookie first-round pick Troy Fautanu as their starting right tackle in Week 2. However, Mike Tomlin still wanted to see Jones in action.
Because of this, the Steelers head coach gave Jones a series at right tackle in the first half. Unfortunately, things couldn't have gone much worse for the second-year player against the Broncos.
Jones' lone offensive drive began with the Steelers' offense backed up against their own endzone. After helping his team earn some breathing room on the ground, things with south. Broderick recorded three penalties on this drive -- a false start and two holding calls. His final penalty wiped away a 51-yard play from Justin Fields to George Pickens.
A hat trick in the penalty department was the last straw, and Tomlin pulled Jones from the game after just 11 snaps.
Broderick Jones has a long way to go to help the Steelers' offense
If you put on the All-22 tape, you can see where Broderick Jones flashed. On one running play, the 2023 first-round pick cleared out a running lane so big you could have driven a truck through it. Sadly, it's easy to see how much Jones is struggling -- both with the mental aspect of the game and with his technique.
After the false start penalty, Jones threw his hands up in the air and looked around at his teammates, as if to say 'I thought I knew the cadence.' He clearly didn't. On a few other plays, Jones was either out of position or late off the line of scrimmage.
The flashes are there, and Jones' high moments pop on tape. Sadly, they are few and far between when compared to plays that prove costly to the team.
Earning three penalties on one series is devastating to any player at any position. Broderick couldn't afford a start so sloppy. Despite the draft capital used to acquire Jones in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers could be forced to let him watch and learn from the sidelines until he can become a more trustworthy player on the field.
This isn't the start to his sophomore season that anyone wanted to see. Broderick Jones simply has not progressed as planned, and benching him may be the only way to save his Steeles career. Tomlin can be blamed for botching the whole situation and not making him a left tackle, but at some point, Jones needs to pull it together and be the player the team needs him to be.