When the Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft to select Georgia offensive lineman, Broderick Jones, it was a very impactful pick. Prior to Jones, the Steelers hadn't taken an offensive tackle in the first round since Jamain Stephens out of North Carolina A&T in 1996. While the Stephens pick didn't pan out at all for Pittsburgh, the organization has much higher hopes for Jones. However, despite the first-round title, Jones did not start in his first 2023 preseason game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it didn't do anything to dampen his spirits.
Abigail Dean / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers rookie offensive tackle Broderick Jones is hoping to claim the starting spot by the start of the 2023 regular season
Steelers Give Jones Every Opportunity In First Showing
Competition in the NFL is fierce and unforgiving, especially when Pittsburgh's Head Coach, Mike Tomlin, thrives on creating it during the preseason. The year of 2023 is no different, with competition brought in at practically every level; Jones included. When the first team offense took the field in Tampa Bay, it may have been a surprise to some to see Dan Moore Jr. at the starting left tackle spot, but that is the method to Tomlin's process.
The fact that Jones was taken in the first round in 2023 may grant him immediate starting rights on some other NFL teams, but not in Pittsburgh. Moore Jr. isn't going to just roll over and hand the starting position over to Jones, having started 33 out of 34 games during 2021 and 2022. As with Jones, though, just because Moore Jr. was the consistent starter doesn't mean that it gives him the upper hand. It's all about performance, and the Steelers wanted to give Jones as many chances as possible to display why they traded up to get him.
Associated Press
Steelers rookie Left Tackle Broderick Jones is doing all he can to win the starting Left Tackle spot in 2023
Jones played 49 out of the 60 offensive snaps in the opening 2023 preseason game against Tampa Bay, giving him more plays than any other offensive player on the roster. When Jones was asked about the playing time he was given during the preseason game, he grinned and had to hold back a gleeful chuckle before he answered.
"Yeah, I was happy with the playing time."
It was the first glimpse of a long process, but it is apparent right out of the gate that the Steelers are giving Jones every opportunity to prove that he should be starting over Moore Jr. when the 2023 regular season kicks off. There are still two preseason games left to play in 2023, and for Jones and Moore Jr. alike, that could be their shot to either win or lose the starting Left Tackle spot.
Steelers.com
Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. is fighting for his starting spot in 2023
Steelers' Jones Recognizes Room For Growth
When a rookie has moments where his inexperience or youth is more on display than his talent, the hope of most franchises is that the player will be able to recognize those opportunities to improve. The then-Oakland Raiders situation with draft bust, JaMarcus Russell was the perfect example of a player that couldn't see their own struggles, but that isn't the case with Jones.
After the opening 2023 preseason game, Jones was asked about his performance and whether his first taste of NFL action was what he expected. His experience playing against the kind of elite talent at Georgia gave Jones a unique perspective, having gone up against NFL-style players in college. It would have been easy for Jones to shrug off any issues that he went through during the 2023 preseason game, but instead, he showed awareness that many rookies simply don't have.
“It was pretty good. Wasn’t too bad. Couple plays I wish I had back, but for the most part, it was what I expected it to be.”
It is one thing for a player to recognize their shortcomings, but it is another entirely for that player to take on the work needed to improve those aspects of their game. Even though his entire body of work from the opening 2023 preseason game wasn't exactly what Jones was hoping to put on display, he made it clear that he knows the path to improvement. He knows the expectations before him, but even with all the pressure that it comes with, Jones seemed confident in his ability to grow, as he said during the postgame interviews in the Steelers locker room.
“You know, I just try and focus on getting better each and every day. So, you know I feel like I got things I still need to work on, skills I still need to hone in on. But, for the most part, I just try to go out there and give it my best shot every time.”
With two preseason games and a handful of training camp sessions left to go before the 2023 regular season begins, Jones will have his chance to put his money where his mouth is. Moore Jr. isn't ignorant of the number of snaps Jones was given, but if he wants to have a real shot at beating out Jones for Left Tackle in 2023, he can't get bogged down in those details. What it will come down to is which of the two linemen brings their best consistently, because when the Steelers take on the San Francisco 49ers in the 2023 regular season opener, whoever is starting will have earned it.
Who will be the starting Left Tackle for the Steelers in 2023?
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