The Pittsburgh Steelers entered this off-season with a very clear and obvious goal; rebuild the offensive line. Despite a unit that spent more time together than any other O-Line in the league in 2022, Mike Tomlin knew his group had to get more physical and had to get better in pass protection. All of this led to the drafting of Georgia Offensive Tackle Broderick Jones.
The Steelers traded their 17th and 120th(4th round) picks to get New England’s 14th pick. This allowed the Steelers to get the two-time National Champion. Jones started 14 games at left tackle last year for the Bulldogs. He had one false start penalty and zero holding calls against him. My immediate thought is that Jones may not start at left tackle right off the bat but I expect him to take it over early in the season. Dan Moore lacks the physicality and overall ability that Jones brings to the table.
The Trade
This was an outstanding move for Omar Khan and the organization. Giving up just a fourth rounder was as “no-brainer” as it gets. With Oregon cornerback Christian Gonzalez still available there was some thought that he could be the target. At the end of the day however Jones’ selection was the right and best move Khan could have made.
Something to keep in mind as we discussed on the podcast last night is that Bill Belichick will likely keep this trade in his pocket. He knows that if and when the time comes and he needs to move up, the Steelers should be willing to help out as he did. This is one of those “unwritten” rules of the NFL Draft.
The Conclusion
It’s not often that I’ve sat in front of the television and been this excited and this approving of a Steelers’ first round draft choice. There is no question that Andy Weidl’s presence in the front office has had a huge impact on the rebuilding of the offensive line.
I love this selection. Jones brings aggressiveness, athleticism and a winning pedigree to a position that has needed it in recent years. As is always the case, the onus now falls on Jones to put in the work and the coaching staff to make him even better. There are no guarantees of his future success but on this morning after round one I’m confident the Steelers nailed this pick with the selection of Broderick Jones.
