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August 17 was another banner night for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense. In Week 2 of the preseason against the Buffalo Bills, the Steelers managed just 219 yards in a 9-3 loss. Of their 10 drives, they had fewer than 10 total yards on six of them.
The quarterback play from Russell Wilson and Justin Fields will draw a lot of the criticism for the poor offensive output. But the signal callers didn’t get a lot of help from other players such as right tackle Broderick Jones.
The team’s 2023 first-round pick, Jones was unable to block Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau for most of the night. Steelers media and fans ripped into Jones on social media for his performance.
“Broderick Jones getting bulled here,” the Blitzburgh X (formerly Twitter) account wrote.
Blitzburgh wrote that as a caption to a play where Rousseau shoved Jones out of the way on his way to sacking Fields.
Other X users also highlighted that low point of the game for Jones.
“EZ look of first sack allowed by Broderick Jones versus Greg Rousseau, who just grabs that right wrist and has right hand inside,” wrote Steelers Depot.
“Are we sure Broderick Jones is an NFL tackle? Greg Rousseau is BULLYING HIM,” wrote Josh Yourish.
“Either Gregory Rosseau is first-team All-Pro or Broderick Jones is worst-team All-Pro,” wrote Nick Ercolano.
Broderick Jones Struggling as He Remains at Right Tackle
Jones has mostly played right tackle for the Steelers. But in college, he played left tackle for the national champion Georgia Bulldogs.
Seeing the 2023 first-round pick unable to slow down Rousseau on August 17, some Jones supporters on X reminded their followers that he isn’t a natural right tackle.
Pittsburgh Sports personality Mark Madden was the loudest of those supporters.
“Broderick Jones should be at LT, period. Enough ***king around,” he wrote. “It’s coaching malpractice.”
The tweet received more than 350 likes in three hours, as many Steelers fans agreed with Madden.
“You’d think seeing the success of other linemen with other teams that failed here after position changes would be a clue to someone in the organization that maybe it’s not a good idea to move every guy,” wrote Remo Lalli.
Jones has played both left and right tackle at practice this summer.
In addition to playing right tackle, Steelers media blamed Jones’ elbow brace as a reason for his poor performance against the Bills.
“He told me the brace he’s wearing on his right elbow really limits what he can do out there, and well … it looks like it,” wrote Steelers Now’s Alan Saunders.
Jones Started 11 Games at Right Tackle in 2023
Jones playing out of position with a potential elbow ailment could have factored into the 23-year-old’s performance on August 17. But it’s also not like it was his debut at right tackle.
Just about all of his game action in the NFL has been at right tackle. He started 12 games, including the playoffs, at that position during the 2023 season.
“Everyone saying it’s because he’s out of position,” Tone Digs wrote. “He played well at RT last season. This is different.”
“Not going to use ‘out of position’ as a reason for poor play,” wrote Steeler Depot’s Josh Carney. “Broderick Jones played nearly 700 snaps at RT last season. This isn’t a new position for him.”
At the end of the day, both problems can exist. The Steelers have not done any favors for Jones’ development by switching him to right tackle. But based on how he’s played, he’s not earned the starting left tackle job.
“You can’t beat it into everyone’s head that Broderick Jones is the long term solution at LT and just straight up not play him there,” Steelers Network X account wrote. “He ain’t helping himself either but if you want him to play at a certain spot then just let him stick there.”
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