Solely three years after drafting Broderick Jones within the first spherical, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave up on him and traded him away to the Dallas Cowboys. A transfer that made the once-promising offensive lineman a bust, at the least from his time in Pittsburgh, was despatched to Dallas for a fourth-round decide in trade for a future third- and sixth-round decide.
However whereas some could also be shocked the Steelers, even now underneath a brand new head coach, would commerce somebody they as soon as seen as an anchor for his or her offensive line so quickly earlier than a season is about to get underway, it really makes loads of sense. The writing was on the wall for some time.
Broderick Jones just lately voiced frustration in how he was dealt with
Only one week earlier than the commerce, Jones, 25, offered a candid response to a query about how he was being dealt with after the Steelers’ 17-0 loss to the Jets of their second preseason recreation. And Jones’ reply, particularly on the heels of being blamed for giving up two sacks, made his emotions of disdain clear, one thing his new head coach Mike McCarthy took as a sign the connection needed to come to an finish.
“I might slightly not,” stated Jones when requested instantly about being moved round. “Me getting back from damage, I might slightly not swing like that. I might slightly stick to at least one aspect and simply proceed to deal with that one aspect, however wherever the staff wants me — that’s proper and left — I simply gotta proceed to get higher so I will help my staff.”
McCarthy, like most NFL groups right now, and even most main faculty packages for that matter, strives to make his lineman as versatile as doable. That was the driving drive behind making an attempt Jones at each proper and left deal with spots. Nevertheless, Jones, who opened the 2025 season as Pittsburgh’s left deal with a yr faraway from beginning the 2024 season at proper deal with, very clearly did not benefit from the lack of consistency.
Jones did not lock down a place with the Steelers
However Jones, a two-time faculty nationwide champion at Georgia, a program that normally breeds NFL linemen, had additionally but to lock down constant play at a specific place both. If he had, perhaps he would’ve been granted his want of not having to “swing like that” as a lot.
He was extremely scrutinized for being credited with permitting three sacks to Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 towards the Jets final season, though to his credit score, he solely gave up three extra throughout a span from Week 2 to Week 10. A neck damage price Jones the remainder of the yr and led to offseason surgical procedure.
There have been indicators the Steelers have been going to commerce Jones
The Steelers then declined the fifth-year choice on Jones’ contract, making him a free agent after the 2026 season, which was a tip {that a} commerce was to return until he solidified an necessary function on the offensive line all through coaching camp, one thing that did not occur.
All in all, it wasn’t arduous to learn the tea leaves a couple of Jones commerce coming. Nevertheless, it additionally is sensible for the Cowboys to be prepared to take a shot on a proficient lineman with many extra years nonetheless in entrance of him.
