The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a rough time getting young offensive tackle Broderick Jones to develop properly ever since he was drafted in the first round of 2023. His second year was an absolute disaster, as he let up the second-most sacks in the NFL only behind his teammate at left tackle. In 2025, he finally started showing signs of progress, as he had a decent season before a severe neck injury ended it prematurely. Now, it feels like 2026 will be his last year in Pittsburgh before moving on in free agency.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones gets ready to block Buffalo Bills pass rusher Leonard Floyd during their 2023 AFC Wildcard matchup in Orchard Park, NY.
Questions have come up about whether rookie Max Iheanachor will have those same issues, as he has the "project" label attached to him like Jones did. However, insider Mike DeFabo reassured fans that this won't be a similar situation at all in his latest mailbag.
"Physically, Jones was super athletic, but he came in needing to build strength and refine his body," DeFabo said. "Instead, he put on some bad weight (and then had to drop it before camp last year). When we met Iheanachor in person, he’s already well-built and should be able to add more muscle."
Jones was a project in more ways than one, and the physical result of that was a mess at first. The only reason he played in every game while only missing one start in 2024 was due to then-rookie Troy Fautanu suffering a pair of injuries, including a season-ending knee injury during practice ahead of Week 3. From an offensive tackle standpoint, that year could not have been more catastrophic.
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Steelers offensive tackle Broderick Jones walks on the field as the team works out during a 2025 training camp practice at St. Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.
Meanwhile, it seems like Iheanachor already has a body that can handle the workload of being an offensive tackle. Like Jones, he has a lot of mechanical and technical aspects to work on, but it is so much easier to do so when you have the right build to handle all these elite edge rushers in the NFL. He doesn't have a bunch of excess fat weighing him down as he looks to compete for a starting job in 2026.
Steelers Made Massive Change That Will Benefit Iheanachor
DeFabo brought up another difference in Jones and Iheanachor that benefits the incoming rookie, even though neither player had any control of this situation.
"Most importantly, Jones was coached by Matt Canada’s lame duck offensive line coach, Pat Meyer," DeFabo said. "Iheanachor gets the benefit of James Campen. The new O-line coach has a proven track record after turning several mid-round picks into Pro Bowlers, including fourth-round pick David Bakhtiari, fourth-round pick Josh Sitton, fourth-round pick T.J. Lang and fifth-round pick Corey Linsley."
It is safe to say that the Steelers had one of the worst offensive coordinators ever in the early 2020s. Matt Canada was so toxic to the team that they were forced to break their own strict rule of not firing coaches before the end of the season. Meanwhile, nearly everyone outside of Pittsburgh questioned why Pat Meyer has not been fired prior to him not being retained with the new staff.
Associated Press via Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Former Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer (left) and left tackle Broderick Jones (right) work together during 2023 offseason activities.
Head Coach Mike McCarthy may not be an exciting hire to some, but as the primary offensive mind, it's almost physically impossible for him to be worse than Canada. His offensive line coach, James Campen, also has a history of success, as mentioned by DeFabo. Not only is Iheanachor more ready physically, but he is being placed in a much better situation than Jones was, and that should allow him to thrive in the NFL.
What do you think about the differences in Iheanachor and Jones from when they were drafted? Let us know on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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