Quietly, Steelers have big decision to make with Broderick Jones' positioning

Quietly, Steelers have big decision to make with Jones' positioning

Jan 23, 2024

The two obvious and most important dominos that will topple over in this offseason for the Steelers is the hiring of a new offensive coordinator and the determination of who will compete with Kenny Pickett to be the team's starting quarterback by the time Week 1 of the 2024 season arrives.

But, another major decision will have to be made on the positioning of a key piece to that offense, regardless of who the coordinator and quarterback will be.

The Steelers traded up to select Broderick Jones 14th overall in last year's draft. The Georgia left tackle competed with Dan Moore Jr. for the starting job in training camp and lost the competition, then became the Steelers' weekly starting right tackle after Chukwuma Okorafor was benched against the Jaguars Oct. 29.

That is not how Jones' story will unfold in 2024. Jones blossomed as a rookie and proved his worth as a first-round pick and as a starter for the longterm. Now, it's up to Omar Khan and Mike Tomlin to determine what to do with their franchise piece on the offensive line. Will they keep hm on the right side, or could he move back to his natural left tackle spot?

to read more:

https://dkpittsburghsports.com/2024/...l-analysis-cdc

Seems like an easy decision. LT.

No they don't. Broderick has stated he's most comfortable on the left side. You don't trade up for a bookend LT just to throw him to the right immediately where he is less comfortable. Having a franchise LT is harder than finding a guy on the right. Which helps us in the draft too, if we want to grab an RT we want have to dig as early as before.

Oh, and obviously cut Chuks. I know that big extension raised a lot of eyebrows around here and for good reason. Looks like we were right about that


*EDIT i meant left side

??? What decision?

I wish I could isolate some of Jones pulling plays. I always thought that running plays were foe interior linemen…..but Jones came across from the RT spot and opened up big runs, for both backs. If he ends up at LT I’m fine, but as good as he is, he can play well on either side.

Good lord. That was a terrible "article". Why do I have to an actual job? They could just pay us all a little bit and cobble together more interesting articles from the threads on here.

If they draft a guy at like 17 overall or whatever and then stick him at RT...they should all be fired. Dan Moore is not an NFL LT. He occasionally plays on on TV and he's done yeoman's work over there since being pressed into service....but let's not pretend he's any good.

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Originally Posted by Born2Steel

??? What decision?

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Whether to play Jones at RT or LT.

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Originally Posted by El Kabong

Whether to play Jones at RT or LT.

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Will they keep him at Right Tackle or move him to his more natural position at Left Tackle? That was the question posed. I get that part.

He competed for the LT spot in TC and lost to Dan Moore. Many opinions around that move, but just the facts. Jones played well and took the job at RT once he got that chance. Again, plenty of opinions around that move too, but that’s the facts. Jones has to win the starting job at LT to become the starting LT. That’s not a decision that needs to get made this offseason, or in order to move forward.

Dan Moore is not a top LT in the league and can be upgraded. But he’s not a terrible option at LT. If the Steelers draft another rookie Tackle, bring in a FA OT, and/or one of the backups makes a huge leap in TC, there will be another competition and THAT will decide who starts where on the OL.

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Originally Posted by Born2Steel

Will they keep him at Right Tackle or move him to his more natural position at Left Tackle? That was the question posed. I get that part.

He competed for the LT spot in TC and lost to Dan Moore. Many opinions around that move, but just the facts. Jones played well and took the job at RT once he got that chance. Again, plenty of opinions around that move too, but that’s the facts. Jones has to win the starting job at LT to become the starting LT. That’s not a decision that needs to get made this offseason, or in order to move forward.

Dan Moore is not a top LT in the league and can be upgraded. But he’s not a terrible option at LT. If the Steelers draft another rookie Tackle, bring in a FA OT, and/or one of the backups makes a huge leap in TC, there will be another competition and THAT will decide who starts where on the OL.

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Gotta disagree on one part of this.

Dan Moore is, in fact, a terrible option at LT.

I know no one likes PFF, but they have him 31st. So I guess that isn't last.

Dan Moore actively hampers the offenses' ability to execute individual plays.

I like Dan Moore. I want him to succeed. But he is not an NFL LT. He better figure out how to do it all from his right side....because the drafting of Jones indicates, to me, that the Steelers know Moore is not a LT either.

Agreed, he should be the LT, Moore jr is not setting the world on fire. I don’t want the Steelers mishandling another lineman like they did Dotson.

is Myers still here?

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Originally Posted by Mojouw

Gotta disagree on one part of this.

Dan Moore is, in fact, a terrible option at LT.

I know no one likes PFF, but they have him 31st. So I guess that isn't last.

Dan Moore actively hampers the offenses' ability to execute individual plays.

I like Dan Moore. I want him to succeed. But he is not an NFL LT. He better figure out how to do it all from his right side....because the drafting of Jones indicates, to me, that the Steelers know Moore is not a LT either.

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Apples to apples question then. How did Dan Moore beat out Brod Jones in TC for the position the Steelers traded up to draft Jones for? And keep that position all season?

Apples and oranges comparison. Dan Moore and Pressley Harvin. Gotta be doing something right.

PFF? Like them or don’t, they rank by their own criteria. Teams rank by their own criteria as well.

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Originally Posted by Born2Steel

Apples to apples question then. How did Dan Moore beat out Brod Jones in TC for the position the Steelers traded up to draft Jones for? And keep that position all season?

Apples and oranges comparison. Dan Moore and Pressley Harvin. Gotta be doing something right.

PFF? Like them or don’t, they rank by their own criteria. Teams rank by their own criteria as well.

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Moore beat out Jones because Jones was FAR from ready to play in the NFL on draft day, let alone play LT. Jones was drafted on potential not current ability.
Jones needed a period of work to get competent enough to play RT in the NFL. Next step is to use this off-season to get competent enough to play LT.
Just because Jones would have been or even currently is a bad LT, doesn't mean Moore is not also bad.

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Originally Posted by Mojouw

Moore beat out Jones because Jones was FAR from ready to play in the NFL on draft day, let alone play LT. Jones was drafted on potential not current ability.
Jones needed a period of work to get competent enough to play RT in the NFL. Next step is to use this off-season to get competent enough to play LT.
Just because Jones would have been or even currently is a bad LT, doesn't mean Moore is not also bad.

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And just because some other OT is better doesn’t mean ours is terrible.

Dan Moore is not great. We agree. He is also not throw away bad. Have to disagree on that stance.

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Originally Posted by Born2Steel

And just because some other OT is better doesn’t mean ours is terrible.

Dan Moore is not great. We agree. He is also not throw away bad. Have to disagree on that stance.

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I never said he was “throw away”.

I hope he can learn to thrive as a RT.

Jones as the athletic LT and Moore as a punishing run blocking RT could set the team up for years to come.

Moore just can’t be the LT on a highly competitive playoff team.

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Originally Posted by Mojouw

I never said he was “throw away”.

I hope he can learn to thrive as a RT.

Jones as the athletic LT and Moore as a punishing run blocking RT could set the team up for years to come.

Moore just can’t be the LT on a highly competitive playoff team.

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That definitely has value. And I am not opposed. Just so long as Jones wins the LT job this year.

Interesting thought on RT … “Washington could become a dominant run blocker with better technique, which makes me wonder if a team might give him a look at offensive tackle at some point in his career,” wrote NFL.com NFL analyst Lance Zierlein a year ago.

Steelers Mock Draft 2.0: Pittsburgh lands potential franchise center

Pittsburgh adds offensive line talent in seven-round mock

By Jarrett Bailey Jan 26, 2024

It’s that time of year where everyone starts making mock drafts that we all talk ourselves into happening almost daily. Draft season is just beginning, as well, with the Senior Bowl taking place next week (and you can come to BTSC every day for my daily reports from Mobile, AL).

Before that, though, this is my personal first Steelers mock of the draft season, and the second one for our staff as a whole of the year. Let’s dive in.

Round 1, Pick 20: OT Amarius Mims, Georgia
The Steelers need a left tackle. Whether or not they move Broderick Jones back to his natural spot, or keep him on the right side, they need help at the position. Mims has similar traits to his former Georgia teammate when it comes to his athleticism in space, but has shown to be better in pass protection. If the Steelers do take Mims, he is who I would slot in as the starting left tackle while Jones holds down the right side.

Round 2, Pick 52: C Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon
Pittsburgh gets its second JPJ, this time on the offensive side of the ball. Powers-Johnson is very quick for his size, and allowed just one hurry and zero sacks in 2023. The Oregon product won the Rimington trophy in 2023 as college football’s best center, and would immediately upgrade Pittsburgh’s interior.

to read more:

https://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...btsc-nfl-draft

Those all seem pretty reasonable picks. I'm just not sure about an OT in the first round. It's not that it is not enticing. I am kind of thinking CB in the first round. It is the one position the Steelers seem incapable of developing.

I’m certain that wherever Jones lands on the O-Line he will be successful. Smart man, he honestly said “wherever Coach puts me…I’ll play me heart out”. Good draft pick. Lots of other holes that need to be filled.

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Originally Posted by Hawkman

Smart man, he honestly said “wherever Coach puts me…I’ll play me heart out”.

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Those are the kinds of players that I want.

I'm hoping Jack Conklin gets cut by Cleveland and the Steelers sign him to be the starter at right tackle as a stop gap for 2 years or so, letting Broderick move to left tackle.

Meanwhile, among the OTs, it appears that while Penn State’s Olu Fashanu and John Alt of Notre Dame remain 1-2 at the position, Taliese Fuaga of Oregon State, who had a great week at the Senior Bowl practises, may have moved all the way up to the #3 spot at the position, possibly as high as just outside the top 10 in the overall ranking.

And one thing that could impact the OT grading is that a goodly percentage of the top 10 or so tackles are really more RT guys who may not necessarily be great LT fits.

https://gbnreport.com

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blC5mtNbmTg