The One Area Broderick Jones Must Improve

PITTSBURGH — The Steelers loved what they saw out of promising rookie tackle Broderick Jones in his first start against the Ravens. Naturally, the more he played, the more he seemed to pick up on, and the leap he took was considerable. For example, offensive line coach Pat Meyer loved how Jones improved upon his stunt pickups. But there is one thing that they are focusing on the most to improve this year — his hand usage.

It’s not just Meyer who alerted the hand usage problems to me since that last game. No, Broderick Jones was the first to be critical of his hand usage. So, where does the improvement need to come from? Jones says it’s all things you throw under the umbrella of hand usage.

“Well, I feel like I just need to get better with my hands,” Jones said. “You know, throwing my punches on time, the placement of my punches, the timing, all of that needs to improve. I’m really focused on getting better there.”

Meyer said in the spring that Jones is a young player with great potential but has technical deficiencies. However, his ceiling is so high that Pittsburgh was more than comfortable enough to take on those deficiencies and develop him. That’s not the wrong way to go about it.

Throughout the weeks, Meyer gives Jones two or three things to focus on a week rather than splurging him with ten items each week. For many of those weeks recently, that hand usage is something that Meyer has emphasized to Jones. More importantly, he can not let the kinetic chain when blocking go while working on those hand usage issues.

“He’s a really young football player. So, he’s going to get better, has to get better,” Meyer said. “I don’t just give him a ton of stuff each week, it’s more two or three things to work each week. So, yes, that hand usage is something he can work on. You know, punch timing, not bending over and getting overextended through his punch, placement. Those are all things he is working on.”

Jones will have to focus on his 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. The Steelers need to continue to see that growth over the rest of the season.