Broderick Jones: Everything you need to know

Jones (neck) is "feeling fine" and back around the Steelers for OTAs, Michael Baca of NFL.com reports. Jones suffered a neck injury in the Steelers' Week 12 loss against the Bears last season, one that required a spinal fusion surgery the veteran offensive tackle is still recovering from. Considering the Steelers selected offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft, Jones, once healthy, may need to compete for a job that he previously appeared to have a solid grasp on.

Jones is expecting to work on both sides of the offensive line once he recovers from a neck injury, Brendan Howe of SteelersNow reports. With Pittsburgh selecting offensive tackles in the first round of two of the last three NFL drafts (Troy Fautanu in 2024 and Max Iheanachor in 2026), Jones appears open to working at either tackle spot next season. The 25-year-old from Georgia missed the Steelers' final seven games (including playoffs) last season due to a neck injury, and it remains unclear if he'll be ready for training camp or Week 1, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Once fully healthy, Jones will likely battle for one of Pittsburgh's starting tackle positions, though the team declined his fifth-year option in late April.

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.