Why the Steelers trading Broderick Jones was predictable

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, no less than from his time in Pittsburgh, was despatched to Dallas for a fourth-round choose in change for a future third- and sixth-round choose.

However whereas some could also be stunned the Steelers, even now beneath 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 truly 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’d relatively not,” stated Jones when requested immediately about being moved round. “Me getting back from damage, I’d relatively not swing like that. I’d relatively stick to at least one facet and simply proceed to deal with that one facet, however wherever the crew wants me — that’s proper and left — I simply gotta proceed to get higher so I might help my crew.”

McCarthy, like most NFL groups as we speak, and even most main faculty applications for that matter, strives to make his lineman as versatile as potential. That was the driving pressure 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 12 months 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 in opposition to 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 12 months 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 possibility on Jones’ contract, making him a free agent after the 2026 season, which was a tip {that a} commerce was to come back until he solidified an essential position 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 smart for the Cowboys to be keen to take a shot on a proficient lineman with many extra years nonetheless in entrance of him.