Steelers Rookie Offensive Lineman Broderick Jones Continues To Struggle In Pass Blocking

The Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Mason Rudolph looked good in their game against the Cincinnati Bengals last Saturday. With how well Rudolph played, it opened up a lot of questions about this offense. The biggest question will be who the starting quarterback is moving forward if Rudolph goes and shows out again in Week 17. It also makes you wonder if they could have a playoff spot already clinched right now if they went with Rudolph from the start instead of Mitch Trubisky when Kenny Pickett went down with an ankle injury against the Arizona Cardinals. No matter who is at quarterback however, you have to hope that the offense comes together to show another exceptional game like last week.

Another player who has been playing well is rookie offensive tackle, Broderick Jones. The Steelers traded up to get him in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft in hopes of him becoming their rock on the offensive line. Overall, he has looked solid in his first season and has been one of the best rookie offensive linemen this year. However, according to Pro Football Focus' Dalton Wasserman, Jones has one area that he could be working on to improve. He said that Jones has been struggling with pass blocking, which could be partly because he switched to right tackle from left, which is his natural position.

"Jones struggled in pass protection for the second consecutive week. While he allowed just two pressures, he was beaten on three other occasions and posted a 32.0 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets. Since he moved to right tackle in Week 8, Jones carries a 38.5 pass-blocking grade on true pass sets, a bottom-10 mark among qualified tackles."

While getting beaten on three occasions and allowing two pressures isn't great, at least for now, you should give him the benefit of the doubt because of the position change. His technique is his biggest issue, which is fixable when it comes to the offensive line. He is a very intense player, which at times can be a good thing for a lineman, but it has gotten him in trouble at times with this week being one of those games. Going into next season, offensive line coach Pat Meyer should realize that this is his biggest issue and focus mainly on technique and footwork.

One Of The Main Reasons That Jones Would Have Been High On The Steelers' Radar

Playing in the SEC against some of the top pass rushers in college football, Jones has gotten the chance to gain experience early on in his career in effective pass blocking. What made him stand out though during the draft process was the fact that he didn't allow a single sack during his final season at the University of Georgia.

Although Jones has struggled some with pass blocking over the last few games, he has still looked like the best offensive lineman taken within the first 15 picks of the 2023 NFL Draft. Paris Johnson Jr., who was the first lineman taken, has been a penalty machine and has not lived up to the hype in his first season. Darnell Wright struggled worse than Jones in pass blocking for the Chicago Bears last game, getting beaten nearly every play. The last offensive lineman picked before Jones was Peter Skoronski, who had to make the switch to guard due to his size. He has been subpar in the run game and has been decent with pass blocking. Overall, Jones has looked the best out of this bunch picked before him. 

Jones may be struggling a bit when it comes to pass blocking, but in total, he has been a good addition much like the rest of the 2023 draft class.  What do you think, Steeler Nation? Is Jones the cornerstone for the Steelers' offensive line for years to come? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!

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