Broderick Jones Balls Out in First Career Start

PITTSBURGH — Pittsburgh knew they would have a chance to see what their first-round pick, Broderick Iones, was made of against the Ravens. A rookie would have a tough time processing it all for a team that runs so much cover zero and exotic stunts up front. But that’s not what happened at all for the Steelers’ rookie. Thrust into a role with Dan Moore Jr. on the sideline due to a knee sprain, Jones rose to the challenge and proved he was ready to play.

“I feel like I’m getting there,” Jones said. “Slowly but surely, but there’s little fine details I have to work on. But at the end of the day, I feel like I’m getting better.”

Jones held up well against a formidable opponent because of their exotic blitz schemes. When the Ravens did give Jones one-on-one reps, he looked smooth and in control. And while the Ravens got to Kenny Pickett sometimes, Jones was not the reason for it. He played a very solid game in a tough matchup.

Could you give me all the stock in Jones? Not everything will be seamless for him. But I see a player learning on the fly and improving with more time played. He’s an upgrade over Dan Moore Jr. with his level of athleticism and is a plus in the run game. There’s little doubt about that. Despite a lack of refinement with his hands, Jones has a level of athleticism that gives him leeway to recover. I was not sure it would translate to the NFL level, but it did. Against elite edge rushers, he might have a tough time still. But man, encouraging performance from him.

Broderick Jones will have to focus on his footwork and hand usage to take that next leap as a player in the NFL. However, some of his reps in this game were encouraging that his technique is starting to come along. His run blocking is ready to play at a starter level now, and he’s a problem when out in space. If his pass protection comes along quicker than everyone thought, that’s a testament to his development and coachability.

Moving forward, there should be little reason for the Steelers not to start Jones. He has proven he can at least hang at the NFL level. The ups and downs will come naturally, but Jones has the upward trajectory strapped to him now. For the Steelers, they need to continue to see that growth over the rest of the season.