Steelers' Broderick Jones Listed As 'Loser' Of Mini Camp According To 1 Insider

The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft. The offensive tackle excelled at the University of Georgia where he helped the team win two College Football National Championships.  

The Steelers' offensive line helped them turn the season around in 2022 and they closed out at 7-2 after a 2-6 start. While the line had shown vast improvement since 2021, most agreed that they weren't where they needed to be and hoped they would draft players for the "trenches." This had most fans excited when they selected Jones. 

That excitement does give way to some questions regarding how Jones will fit into the line and what will happen to the players that were there, especially Dan Moore Jr. There are some who feel that Jones will be ready to step into a starting role and others who think that Moore will prevail in training camp.  

Is Steelers' Broderick Jones An OTA Winner Or Loser?

Now Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, from The Athletic, has released his list of winners and losers from OTAs. The winners include players such as Connor Heyward, Allen Robinson, and Moore. With Moore ranking as a "winner," what does that mean for Jones?

According to Kaboly, that makes him a "loser." Kaboly acknowledges that it might be a bit unfair to judge a rookie prior to them putting on pads, but he does it anyhow. 

"I hate to label the first-round pick a loser based on what he showed the past month because offensive line play cannot be judged until the helmet and pads go [on]."

Kaboly says that offensive line coach Pat Meyer has high praise for Moore, who he says did not just fold and give up upon the drafting of Jones. Moore has spent the offseason getting himself in shape and working out at right tackle, just in case he needs to be moved. 

"The Steelers always allow competition to play out, rarely do they name someone a starter just because of their tenure, paycheck, or draft status. It appears that Moore is going to make Jones fight for his spot on the roster."

From Kaboly's perspective, the Steelers are ok with Jones sitting and learning. He notes that Jones is in the driver's seat for how long that lasts. Kaboly also mentioned that he spoke to Meyer about Jones and how he will fit into the roster. 

"If you draft a guy in the first round, you're not drafting a guy to sit him," Meyer said. "It's the nature of the business. When he's ready to play and we think he's ready to play, the kid is going to play."

That's a typical Pittsburgh comment. It might answer the question, but it also tells you nothing. Kaboly notes that it will all come down to what happens in training camp. 

"Jones could come out in camp and dominate and overtake Moore. We've seen that before with Maurkice Pouncey. But the Steelers speaking glowingly of Moore and his improvement could be a precursor of what is to come. Trust me when I tell you that facing Nick Bosa, Myles Garrett, and Maxx Crosby in the first three games won't have anything to do with it."

The one weakness that seemed to really show up in Jones during the spring workouts was going against the speed rushers. Despite playing at an elite university, the speed in the NFL is something that takes time and practice to adjust to. 

Do you think it is fair of Kaboly to label Jones a "loser" prior to seeing him in pads? Is it too soon to be discussing who will start and who won't since it isn't even training camp yet? Click to comment below. 

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