The Pittsburgh Steelers traded up in the first round of the 2023 draft to select Broderick Jones. They hoped that he could be a franchise stalwart at offensive tackle, but unfortunately, he hasn’t lived up to his draft slot. Jones hasn’t had a great NFL career so far, with far more lowlights than highlights. Now, his future in Pittsburgh is uncertain after the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option. Jones is recovering from a neck injury, and James Harrison offered him some advice.
“I would caution him, do not come back too fast trying to get on the field just because you’re a free agent next year,” Harrison said Friday on his Deebo and Joe podcast. “Worst-case scenario, you may not see too much field time this year.
“But if you can get 100-percent healthy, I know somebody will give you at least a minimum one-year, you’re only 25, to get back into that position and show that you can play and get through a full year healthy with no incidents. Then, the next year, get another contract that’s to what you were expecting.”
Jones’ timeline to return to action is unclear. While there was a report that he had suffered a setback, Omar Khan disputed that. Neck injuries can be tricky, though, and there’s real danger of long-term damage associated with them if not handled properly.
Also, the Steelers just took offensive tackle Max Iheanachor in the first round of this year’s draft. That doesn’t seem to bode well for Jones’ future with the Steelers, even if he does play this year. Khan indicated that Jones’ injury is part of why the Steelers selected Iheanachor.
The Steelers will likely err on the side of caution with Jones as Harrison wants. They’ve got options to replace him. Even if Iheanachor isn’t ready immediately, Dylan Cook played well to end the 2025 season. Perhaps he’ll get the nod at left tackle to begin 2026.
If Jones recovers in time to play this season, he could earn himself a nice payday next year given how valuable offensive tackles are. Jones has experience starting on both sides, too. The Steelers look prepared to move on from him, but that doesn’t mean his NFL career is over. Another team will gamble on his potential if he is healthy.
We’ll see how Jones looks throughout the offseason. His participation will help paint the picture of where he actually is in his recovery. A recent report indicates that he’ll miss some of the upcoming team activities, but nothing beyond that has been ruled out yet. There’s still a chance he’ll play this season.
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