Broderick Jones Detailed Exactly How He’s Helping Steelers Rookie Max Iheanachor

The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to find cornerstone tackles along the offensive line for many seasons now. Former Steelers' 2023 first-round draft pick, offensive tackle Broderick Jones, was supposed to be the answer to at least one of these positions. So far, it has not panned out in the way Pittsburgh thought it would, but Jones has been working with the team's latest tackle project in hopes of providing a long-term solution.

The newest offensive lineman for the Black and Gold is rookie first-round selection, Max Iheanachor. The organization has exercised many different methods in search for a solidified offensive line, including spending draft capital, signing free agents, and even rotating players along the line. Pittsburgh took a huge risk on Iheanachor, who was viewed as a very raw prospect with big-time potential. 

Iheanachor suffered injuries during training camp, which caused him to miss nearly three weeks of practices and the Steelers' first two preseason games. However, he finally got to take the field in the preseason finale against the Buffalo Bills, in which he showed a lot of potential. He is not listed as Pittsburgh's starting tackle currently, but he is obviously viewed as a project with tremendous upside. 

Jones sees the potential in Iheanachor, and has been working with the rookie while trying to feed him all of the knowledge that he has gained during his rocky start to his own NFL career. In the latest episode of the Not Just Football with Cam Heyward podcast, Jones spoke about what he has contributed to making Iheanachor a better player and what that means to a rookie tackle in the NFL.

"Get better every day, not get in his head," Jones explained. "I feel like a lot of rookies come in and try to overcompensate. You don't have to be superman. Just protect and block."

Although Jones has not had the best start to his personal career, he has been around long enough to know what kind of mindset it takes to play in the trenches. He was in a very similar position to Iheanachor just a few seasons ago, so there is no one else better to mentor the young tackle than Jones. 

As for the organization's side of things, the hope is that Iheanachor can maximize his potential and contribute to the offensive line for years to come. Project players take time and the Steelers cannot afford to continue to take shots at offensive linemen while other positions will soon need to be addressed just as urgently. 

The Steelers Might Not Start Iheanachor Right Away

It is an odd time for Pittsburgh, as part of the team consists of inexperienced, but talented, young players. The other half of the squad is made up of aging stars like TJ Watt, Cameron Heyward, and legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers. The NFL is a fast-moving battlefield and these players' window on winning is closing. If the Steelers want to maximize the effectiveness of their veterans, they will need to make the right decisions with the younger guys to put the best overall product on the field right now. 

This specifically impacts Iheanachor, as he is not projected to be a starter on the offensive line to start the season. This does not mean that he will be a backup all season, but Pittsburgh is not in a position to waste any time testing out new toys during the season as the team is desperately fighting to make real noise in the postseason, something that Steelers fans have not seen for almost a decade now. 

It will be interesting to see how new head coach Mike McCarthy deploys certain players on the offensive line, including the likes of Jones and Iheanachor. What is solidified, though, is the need for Rodgers to stay clean during his potential final season in the NFL. Whatever combination of players is guarding the front lines this season will need to be ready to leave it all out on the field in order for the team to have a real shot at chasing glory. 

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