Jones taking starting left tackle talk in stride

‘It’s the same as always — continue to get better. That’s always my mindset.’

Broderick Jones and Dan Moore Jr. haven’t been told who will be starting at left tackle when the Steelers play the Rams on Sunday, but it’s becoming increasingly clear there is more angst among the fan base about the decision than there is in the locker room.

Jones was the No. 14 overall pick in the draft in May. He’s the future long-term starter at the position and, by all accounts, performed well in his first career start against the Ravens. But even Jones seems to understand there is a process that has to be completed before he is named the full-time starter.

“There’s no reaction,” Jones said Wednesday morning when he was asked about the scenario of the coaches going back to Moore as the starter. “It’s the same as always — continue to get better. That’s always my mindset.”

It certainly seems like the coaches are leaning toward Moore, who confirmed on Monday he worked with the starters in practice. Coach Mike Tomlin said Moore will be given an opportunity to show his progress in practice this week after missing the Ravens game with a knee sprain. “We’ll make that decision at the appropriate time,” Tomlin said. He later added, “[Moore] looked pretty good yesterday.”

The truth of the matter is if the coaches had designs on sticking with Jones, they’d give him all the reps in practice. They’re going to prepare whoever starts by giving that player the necessary reps during the week.

Jones said he hasn’t been told he has to work on anything specific before getting into the lineup full time. He painted the picture that the Steelers value Moore’s experience.

“That’s never the issue at hand,” Jones said. “As you know, I’m a rookie coming in. Dan has been here a lot longer than me. He’s been in the game a lot longer than me at this level. That’s really all there is to it. I just have to continue to work. I like being able to work with Dan. He teaches me different things. Just being able to sit back and learn from him has been a big plus.”

Jones is the young pup on a veteran offensive line. Left guard Isaac Seumalo is in his first season with the Steelers but his eighth season in the NFL. Center Mason Cole, right guard James Daniels and right tackle Chuks Okorafor are in their sixth seasons.

Moore, a fourth-round pick in 2021, is in his third season and his third as a starter after being pressed into duty as a rookie.

The Steelers traded up in the first round to get Jones because Moore had some ongoing struggles in pass protection and with penalties in his first two seasons, but they haven’t been eager to hand the job over to Jones, this despite Moore grading out among the worst offensive linemen in the league through the first third of the season.

Pro Football Focus gives Moore a 29.3 overall grade and a 19.9 pass blocking grade this season. Those metrics are worse than his first two seasons when PFF gave him a 57.8 grade as a rookie and 62.4 grade last season.

Jones, in a much smaller sample size, has a 66.5 grade. He was given a 53 when he had to enter the game early against the Texans after

Moore was injured, but he took a big leap against the Ravens when his grade was 74.8. His grade against the Ravens was the highest of any Steelers offensive lineman in that game.

“I feel like I’ve grown in a lot of different areas,” Jones said. “I feel like it’s been a big plus for me to be with the Steelers and the coaching staff that we have and the players I’m around like Dan, Chuks and Isaac. It helps me play at a different level because these guys have been in the league for so long.

“Playing next to Isaac, you know you can’t slouch. When he was in Philly, it was this way and that way. It was always set. Just being able to play next to him and see how he goes about his day, it’s a blessing.”