Two-Time Steelers Super Bowl Champ Has Blueprint for Broderick Jones to Succeed
The Pittsburgh Steelers had high hopes when they traded up to draft Broderick Jones in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft, and through two seasons, those hopes have yet to the realized. Jones has yet to play a snap at the position the team drafted him to play — left tackle — and his play at right tackle has been largely underwhelming, as well.
But a two-time Steelers Super Bowl champion sees the plan for how Jones can succeed, starting in his third season in 2025.
Trai Essex, a two-time Super Bowl champion as an offensive lineman with the Steelers joined The Arthur Moats Experience Monday and offered some sage wisdom about the current O-line, particularly Jones and coach Pat Meyer.
The Steelers’ current line of Isaac Seumalo, Jones, Zach Frazier, Mason McCormick and Troy Fautanu is one of the most inexperienced in the league. The latter four have only five seasons of experience between them. Essex discussed their acclimation to pro ball, and what the group may look like going forward.
“I think what you see a lot of guys struggling with — I know we’ve had a few guys — is the mental errors and being able to be consistent,” the eight-year veteran said.
Broderick Jones Is the Missing Link
Pittsburgh recently invested heavily in the front five, spending its last two first round picks on offensive tackles. Perhaps the quickest to adapt to the league, though, was the 2024 second rounder Frazier, who Pro Football Focus graded fifth of 40 centers last season. Moats and Essex praised his performance, but turned their attention to the most polarizing figure of the group.
Jones has been slower to adjust. He allowed 10 sacks and committed 10 penalties in his sophomore season, by far the unit’s worst in either category. Essex praised the Georgia product’s improvement over the course of his up-and-down season, especially his role as a leader toward college teammate George Pickens, but said that improving his on-field decision-making is critical.
“We have to hone in those mental errors,” Essex said. “I’m not concerned about Broderick physically. He’s strong, he’s aggressive. He does have that dog in him. It’s just about pointing that dog in the right spot, every single play, and not having these lapses in judgement that hurt him and hurt the team.”
Meanwhile, the other tackle, Fautanu only got 55 snaps of experience last fall, before having his season cut short by a dislocated kneecap. His absence put Jones back into a consistent role at right tackle, while Dan Moore Jr. held down the left side. Since Moore left to play for offensive line guru Bill Callahan for the Tennessee Titans, the two young guns will have to sort out their positions this fall.
Essex, who swung between guard and tackle during his career, inferred that the onus was on Jones to be flexible, and play where he is told. That’s due to the expectations placed on him by a franchise that rarely selects players as high 14th overall. Only Devin Bush has been drafted higher by the Steelers since 2004.
“You’re a first-round pick, you’re getting paid handsomely a lot of good money. It’s incumbent upon you, if they put you at right tackle, you better learn right tackle,” Essex said.
If Jones is able to make that adjustment, Essex indicated that he feels good about the group in 2025.
“We’ll have two first-round bookends, and hopefully whoever is our quarterback going into the season will be well protected.”
Should Steelers Keep Pat Meyer?
Essex also lauded the return of offensive line coach Pat Meyer, stressing the importance of stability in that role.
“It was good to have a consistent voice in the offensive line coach. That was one thing that was concerning, that we were having a revolving door at the offensive line coaching position,” Essex said.
The returning starters will have blocked for a different quarterback every year of their careers, so consistency when it’s possible is beneficial. Essex said that that this helps the players strategically, but also mentally.
“Having to learn a different philosophy year to year could really damper your confidence… You would love to have the same consistent voice teaching the same consistent techniques and styles in order for you to succeed and get the most out of your potential,” he said.
Moats chimed in to offer his confidence in a position group that three years ago, was the team’s greatest weakness.
“You have a lot of high-end pedigree in that offensive line. That return on investment can happen sooner rather than later. We could be cooking with grease up front.”