Former First-Round Pick Is Doomed For The Steelers After Latest Health Update

The Pittsburgh Steelers have done a ton of investing in the trenches lately, and that can be said on both sides of the ball. The organization's last four first-round picks have been spent on offensive or defensive linemen, which can be a great formula for building a dominant roster. However, not all of those picks have worked out for the Steelers. Troy Fautanu and Derrick Harmon have shown encouraging signs early on, while Max Iheanachor is a promising rookie who will develop throughout the 2026 season, and maybe crack the starting lineup. Broderick Jones, on the other hand, is probably entering his final season with the team.

The Steelers drafted Jones in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and the franchise actually traded up in the draft order to select him. He started his rookie year on the bench, but eventually filled in at right tackle after Chukwuma Okorafor was benched. This was the start of the developmental nightmare for Jones. He was a left tackle in college, and the Steelers kept bouncing him back and forth from the right side to the left side, which couldn't have been easy for a young and raw prospect.

Jones entered the 2025 season as the team's starting left tackle, and he was showing small signs of progression. In Week 12 against the Chicago Bears, he suffered a serious neck injury that caused him to miss the rest of the season, and he is still recovering after having to undergo surgery. Beat writer Ray Fittipaldo joined 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday morning, where he was asked about Jones' health, and gave a not-so-inspiring update.

"I haven't heard too much about it," Fittipaldo said. "You know, if I had to take an educated guess now, a month out, I would say he's probably going to open on the PUP list. He did start to do a little bit more later in OTAs, but he was never cleared for contact. Never did any team stuff. So I think it would be a big step for him just to come in and work himself into regular activity. So I'm guessing he will be a strong PUP candidate, then we'll see if he can get off some time in early August and be a factor in that o-line competition."

Fittipaldo believes that the fourth-year tackle is going to be on the Physically Unable To Perform List (PUP) to begin training camp, but he could come off it at some point and join the competition at right tackle. Dylan Cook is currently leading the way in that position battle, with Iheanachor behind him.

Jones is entering the final season of his rookie deal after the team declined his fifth-year option, and it seems like 2026 will be his final season with the team. Fautanu and Iheanachor are both on rookie contracts, and the franchise can sign a cheap veteran for depth moving forward. 

The offensive tackle would probably be on the active PUP list to begin training camp, which is the distinction when it is still the offseason. He would need to pass a medical check up to be allowed to practice. If he is still on the list to begin the 2026 regular season, he would have to miss a minimum of four games.

Steelers' Broderick Jones Must Get Back To Playing Shape

For Jones, his current status is a problem for two reasons. The first is that he is recovering from a serious injury and everyone involved with the decision-making process needs to make sure he is good to go before clearing him to get back on the field. The second is that since he is coming back from a serious neck injury, he hasn't really been able to lift at all throughout the offseason. This has caused him to lose a considerable amount of weight. If he can get cleared and return to playing weight, maybe a trade could present itself for Pittsburgh.

What do you think of this news regarding Jones? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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