Broderick Jones: Everything you need to know

Pittsburgh is declining Jones' (neck) fifth-year option, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports. Jones would have been paid $19.1 million for 2027 if the Steelers had picked up the option, but instead his rookie contract will end after this coming season. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that Pittsburgh's decision to decline the option was influenced by Jones' neck injury, which cut his season short early last year and may prevent him from being ready for training camp -- and potentially Week 1 of the regular season -- in 2026. When Jones has been healthy he's played well, and he started 37 of the 38 regular-season games in which he appeared over the past two campaigns.

Jones had a setback to the neck injury he sustained last season and may not be ready to start training camp or Week 1, Adam Schefter of ESPN reported Monday Jones' 2025 season ended in late November due to a serious neck injury he suffered in the Steelers' Week 12 loss to the Bears. If the left tackle's recovery timeline has been extended, it could force the Steelers to use a higher pick on the offensive line in the 2026 Draft.

Jones' neck injury is "more serious than originally thought," and he's expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the 2025 campaign, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports. Jones was hurt in last Sunday's loss to the Bears and was placed on IR on Saturday. Though an IR stint requires just a four-game absence, it sounds like Jones isn't going to be able to play again this season. Andrus Peat is expected to take over the Steelers' starting role at left tackle.