Mike Tomlin is known for driving Steelers Nation nuts by bringing his rookies along slowly. Fans want more Joey Porter Jr., and it just hasn’t happened yet. We’ve barely heard a peep out of tight end Darnell Washington.
Along the offensive line, which, per PFF, currently ranks sixth-worst in the NFL, Broderick Jones has played only four snaps. In Week 1, against the San Fransisco 49ers, Jones stepped in at left tackle when Dan Moore shifted to the right after Chuks Okorafor exited with a concussion.
Buy Steelers TicketsPFF grades are junk. The determining factors for arriving at them are complicated, confusing and nonsensical. Somehow T.J. Watt, who played out of his damn mind, graded lower than Myles Garrett, who was ineffective.
But stats don’t lie. Research from The Score’s Daniel Valente shows that Moore leads the NFL in pressures allowed (15), hurries allowed (10) and QB hits allowed (4). What he didn’t do was allow a sack on Kenny Pickett versus the Browns’ Garrett.
After 2 games, Dan Moore Jr. leads the NFL in pressures allowed (15), hurries allowed (10), & QB hits allowed (4), per PFF. He is their lowest graded OT (71st). His 11.9 pass blocking score is also second worst among all NFL OL (205th).
It’s time for Broderick Jones.
— Daniel Valente (@StatsGuyDaniel) September 21, 2023
What Jones has done thus far is a very small sample size, but it’s more than worth demoting Moore and giving him a shot. The third-year tackle allows a lot of action to come at Pickett’s blind side. To develop as a passer and survey the field, he must be given realistic time in the pocket. But he can only do that if he trusts that his line will protect him.
Here’s a thought: See what you have in Jones. If he’s as good as his first-round pedigree suggests, shop Moore around prior to the October 31 trade deadline. He’ll only have 1.5 years left on his contract by then. Experienced and serviceable O-linemen are like gold in the NFL. Omar Khan can shake a team down for future picks and move on.
