Steelers Have Problem On Offense That Former Super Bowl Champion Is Sincerely Worried About

There are a lot of high hopes for the Pittsburgh Steelers as the 2025 NFL season gets set to kick off. There are a lot of new faces in the Steel City that could help determine if the team will be capable of winning playoff games or not, but there are also returning individuals that will have key roles. It will be a group effort if the goal is to make a deep run in the postseason. One key area for the offense will be its offensive line. With a goal of running the ball successfully, the big men up front need to perform at a high level.

Arguably the most important piece to the puzzle will be Broderick Jones. The lineman is entering his third career season, but 2025 will be the first chance he receives to be a starting left tackle on a full-time basis. He was stuck on the right side for his first two professional campaigns, so it's promising that he is able to get back to where he was drafted to play.

The consistency, or lack thereof, from Jones could be one of the most important determining factors for the Steelers' offense moving forward. Chris Long, a two-time Super Bowl champion who knows a thing or two about getting after the quarterback, mentioned on an episode of Green Light with Chris Long, that he isn't sold on Jones just yet.

"I do have concerns about Broderick Jones at tackle," Long said.

It was a simple observation, but one that speaks volumes. The former NFL defensive end will be able to watch present-day offensive lineman and see if there are specific things that could be problematic. Long was in the middle of a very complimentary monologue about Pittsburgh's defense, but then immediately shifted to expressing his sincere worry for Jones on the left side.

It is no secret that the Steelers' offensive line may be the most important positional group on the entire team. If the unit cannot keep Aaron Rodgers upright, and the rushing attack doesn't get going, the team will once again be relying on the defense to win games. That's not a great recipe for success in the modern NFL, so Jones' emergence is critical.

The former first-round pick has had an entire offseason to perfect his craft on the left side, which is why he has been taking every chance he has received to get better. It will be looked at as extremely concerning if he starts off the year slow, and not just because it will hurt Pittsburgh's offense. He would also start to come off as an extreme bust as the first selection of the Omar Khan era in the Steel City.

It's fair to be critical of how the Steelers have handled Jones since he entered the league. The lineman was supposed to be a franchise-altering left tackle, but has yet to get the chance to play there on a consistent basis. This is exactly why the 2025 season is so big for him. Jones will finally get his chance to prove that he belongs and that Khan was right to trade up for him on the first night of the 2023 NFL Draft.

Steelers Have Big Decision To Make About Jones Come 2026 Offseason

Jones has one full season on the left side to prove to the organization that his fifth-year option for the 2027 campaign should be picked up. If he struggles to perform, there will be no reason for Pittsburgh to agree to having him around in what would be his fifth professional season. The franchise has a lot riding on his development and success in 2025, so the hope is that Long's concern soon disappears, along with many of those that exist within the fan base.

Do you think that the Steelers will get the best of Jones in 2025? Let us know in the comments below!

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