Steelers Given Stern Lesson About 2023 1st-Round Offensive Linemen From Arizona Cardinals

Most of the talk surrounding the Pittsburgh Steelers as the new NFL year gets going in 2024 will revolve around the shocking move to bring in quarterback Russell Wilson. He will allegedly compete for the starting job with third-year signal-caller Kenny Pickett. The front office also went out and agreed to terms with Patrick Queen, despite him coming from a rival in the Baltimore Ravens. There will be plenty of positions to add depth to the roster entering 2024, but what has gone unnoticed is what needs to be changed with the current roster as the page is flipped on 2023. Head Coach Mike Tomlin has some decisions to make.

Internally, the Steelers have several areas that need to be addressed. The offensive line hasn't recently been a focus while General Manager Omar Khan corrects some other areas, but a random signing in the NFC as the new league year kicked off needs to resonate with Pittsburgh; for more ways than one. The Arizona Cardinals stole offensive lineman Jonah Williams from the Cincinnati Bengals.

The move from the Cardinals comes not too long after the organization decided to release DJ Humphries. The left tackle was in Arizona for eight seasons and proved to be reliable before a devastating injury in 2023 that ended his season.

There is a clear lesson that the Steelers can learn from these couple moves. The Cardinals drafted Paris Johnson Jr. out of Ohio State University with the sixth overall selection. He was recognized as future left tackle in the NFL, but got stuck on the right side in his first season because of Humphries' being on the left. This is exactly what happened to Pittsburgh with Broderick Jones, a player the Steelers traded up to get during the 2023 NFL Draft.

The Steelers decided to bench Chukwuma Okorafor during the 2023 campaign, but apparently didn't have enough confidence in Dan Moore Jr. to be a swing tackle, so he remained on the left side. This led to Jones mauling people on the right in the run game; however, he wasn't exactly perfect in pass protection. The Cardinals bringing in Williams is a clear indication that they have a goal of moving Johnson to the left side. Pittsburgh needs to take notes.

There are plenty of areas to address for Khan and co. They aren't necessarily desperate for offensive linemen (aside from center), but the right tackle position shouldn't have ever been meant for Jones. He belongs on the left side. If Moore can't handle the right, the Steelers need to make a move so it's possible for their 2023 first-round pick to hop over to where he was drafted to be.

The Cardinals, a team that hasn't had much success of late, just made a simple, but intelligent decision to pace the path for their 2023 first-round lineman to transition back to where he should be. There's no reason for the Steelers to trust that Moore would hold his own on the right side. It's also not ideal for the franchise to take another year of development away from Jones on the left. The inferior Cardinals just laid out the blueprint. It's time for Pittsburgh to follow it.

Steelers' 2024 Offseason Plans Need To Include Jones Moving To The Left Side 

Pittsburgh doesn't trade up in the draft often. Prior to Jones, a jump up to snag Devin Bush Jr. was later proven to be a disastrous decision. Jones has all the talent in the world, but he belongs on the left side. The Cardinals made a point early in the new league year to get their 2023 first-round pick to where he belongs on the football field. The Steelers need to strategize for the same.

Do you think Jones needs to play left tackle in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!

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