Steelers First-Rounder May Have to Earn Starting Job Back

The 2025 campaign was shaping up to be a landmark event for Broderick Jones' career in regards to his future with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he's entering the offseason on uneven footing.

A first-round selection out of the University of Georgia in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jones never quite lived up to expectations throughout his first two years in the league while slotting in at right tackle.

Entering this past season, though, Jones was in a perfect spot to bounce back and prove Pittsburgh right for using a premium pick on him upon moving back to left tackle, the position he manned in college, after Dan Moore Jr. left the team in favor of a four-year, $82 million deal in free agency with the Tennessee Titans.

Though Jones' level of play ramped up as the campaign went along, a neck injury he suffered in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears would sideline the 24-year-old for the rest of the Steelers' season slate.

Dylan Cook was thrust into the starting lineup in his place and passed his audition on Aaron Rodgers' blindside with flying colors despite making his regular season debut in Week 14, raising significant questions about how Jones fits into Pittsburgh's plans moving forward.

Oct 6, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones (77) pass blocks during the first quarter against the Dallas Cowboys at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Barry Reeger-Imagn Images | Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Comparing Jones and Cook's Numbers

After a porous performance against the New York Jets in Week 1, during which he gave up three sacks according to Pro Football Focus, Jones matched that total over his following 10 contests before going down with his neck injury.

Additionally, he allowed over two pressures just once between Weeks 8 and 12 according to PFF, showcasing his development as the season went along, while seeing his total number of penalties come down to two from where it sat in 2024 with 10.

Cook, however, outplayed Jones rather handedly. The 28-year-old, who had spent right around two-and-a-half years in the Steelers' organization before ever logging a snap in a regular season contest, ceded only two sacks and six pressures in five games (four starts) before giving up a sack and three pressures in the team's Wild Card round loss to the Houston Texans.

Perhaps it's a bit ambitious to suggest that Cook is Pittsburgh's surefire left tackle of the future, but there isn't much of an argument against the fact that he's far better suited for that role, or title, than Jones is at this current moment.

Can Jones Get His Job Back?

As long as the Steelers don't take a left tackle early in the 2026 NFL Draft or make a major splash at the position in free agency, Cook and Jones will more than likely duke it out all the way to Week 1 for the starting job.

Jones' experience and pedigree are two factors working in his favor, but Cook's run of strong performances to close out the regular season was potentially better than any stretch the former has put together during his NFL career up to this point.

Pittsburgh is almost certain to decline Jones' fifth-year option this offseason as well, meaning he'd be set to reach free agency in March 2027. His medical situation is worth monitoring too, as neck injuries are typically treated with extra care and can be tricky to navigate.

The door is still theoretically open for Jones to come in and establish himself as the starter at left tackle during training camp and the preseason, but he's working from behind considering the way Cook played there in the former's absence.

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