Steelers Rookie Broderick Jones To Make His 2nd Career Start, But Not At Left Tackle

Pittsburgh Steelers rookie tackle Broderick Jones will make his second career start on Thursday night, as sources have confirmed to SteelerNation. Last time around, Jones made his first career start against the Baltimore Ravens with left tackle Dan Moore Jr. injured. The rookie excelled, yet the team reverted back to Moore when he became healthy.

In Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans now, the 2023 first-rounder is set to re-enter the starting lineup. This time, it's not at the expense of Moore. That's despite the fact that Moore struggled immensely in Week 8 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Instead, Jones will take the spot of right tackle Chukwuma Okorafor against the AFC South squad.

There had been rumors of this all week, but now it comes to fruition. Okorafor, in the midst of a three-year deal, hasn't lived up to the price tag so far. His cap hit is just over $13 million this season, which is way more than the production he has put out. Amongst 75 qualifying offensive tackles thus far, Pro Football Focus ranks Okorafor 41st with a 60.8 overall grade. That is his worst grade since 2020, but tackle play as a whole has been down across the league.

On the contrary, Moore ranks 72nd with a 42.5 overall grade. To put it bluntly, he's been bad. They finally are getting their rookie onto the field though, and Jones has shined in limited opportunities. The team is finally coming around to the idea of playing their first-year guys more, as cornerback Joey Porter Jr. was just recently promoted into the starting lineup as well. 

Will Steelers Now Stick With Jones The Rest Of The Way?

The Steelers drafted these guys to be cornerstones of the franchise for years to come, and they are getting their opportunity two months into the season now. For Jones specifically, he's earned rave reviews from several, including from around the league. The team did give up some notable compensation in order to move up in the 2023 NFL Draft and select him 14th overall.

After tonight, the Steelers will have a decision to make: keep Okorafor on the bench or move Jones back to his left tackle spot? Of course, you can't have both, unless if they were to move Moore to right tackle. The Texas A&M product actually saw some snaps at right tackle back in the summer, which helped the rookie get more repetitions in training camp.

The Steelers have some options, and Moore may be more apart of the future plans than Okorafor. Again, the latter sits on a contract that the team may just want to move on from after this season. After 2023, Moore does have one more cheap year on his rookie contract before it expires. Regardless, fans can appreciate the fact that Jones will see extended playing time now. Let's all hope he can become a franchise offensive tackle, something this offensive line desperately needs.

What are your thoughts on the team benching Okorafor instead of Moore? Do you think Jones will start the rest of the 2023 season now? Will the team move on from Okorafor this upcoming offseason? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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