Steelers Now
UNITY TWP., Pa. — Pittsburgh Steelers third-year offensive tackle Broderick Jones is still adjusting to moving to the left side, but the more he does it, the easier it gets.
“It was never about being comfortable,” Jones said at St. Vincent College on Tuesday. “It’s just the repetition and getting used to being back on that side. That’s all it really is for me, continuing to get reps on the left side.”
Jones is coming off a standout performance against the Jacksonville Jaguars in the first preseason game. Jones did not allow a single pressure in 12 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. He was going up against Pro Bowl edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen, too.
Jones looks forward to getting after it against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Thursday in a joint practice and on Saturday during the preseason game.
“That is more what I’m looking for, being able to go against somebody else that you don’t get to see every day and put what you know out there on display,” he said. “It’s seeing what you can really do.”
Jones knows that the regular games are where things matter the most. Training camp and the preseason are just a stepping stone.
“Training camp is great, but you never know the true test until Week 1 rolls around, and you actually get to put it on tape,” he said.
Jones will be protecting 41-year-old quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ blindside this season. For Jones, he’s just focused on his job and not the outside noise, however.
“I think football is football. They can put Coach [Tomlin] back there. My job is still to block for him,” Jones said.
Mike Tomlin has been impressed with what he’s seen from Jones and starting right tackle Troy Fautanu thus far.
“I think they’ve gotten better every day,” Tomlin said after the final training practice at St. Vincent College on Tuesday. “Broderick got slowed by a little day-to-day injury there for a spell, but he’s really been on the uptick since his return. Same with Troy. I like the trajectory of the group. Even though we’re leaving here, we still are very much in development. We have a lot of time in front of us between now and the opener.”
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Steelers’ Broderick Jones Explains Adjustment to Left Tackle
