Pittsburgh Steelers OTAs are underway, and former first-round pick and projected left tackle Broderick Jones revealed a major change in his physical appearance on May 28.
“Broderick Jones said he’s slimmed down this offseason,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo reported on May 28. “[Jones] played last year at about 325 [pounds] and is around 305 [pounds] now.”
Which means Jones has lost about 20 pounds heading into Steelers camp.
So, is Jones’ weight loss a positive or negative development? Considering he plays offensive line.
“[Jones] said [slimming down] gives him a chance to gain weight during the season,” DeFabo continued on X. “Also should help him regain some mobility, which is the strength of his game.”
Broderick Jones’ Weight Loss at Steelers OTAs Is a Good Sign
So long as Jones gains the right sort of weight back while training with the Steelers staff this summer, this should be looked at as a great sign for a couple of reasons.
One, it shows commitment and dedication from Jones, who has clearly been working hard over the offseason.
It’s often a sign that a player doesn’t care when they show up to OTAs overweight or out of shape. Jones has done the opposite, displaying that he’s well aware this could be a make-or-break season for him in 2025.
Two, DeFabo cited Jones’ “mobility,” noting that the weight loss could help him regain that.
NFL edge rushers get faster and more athletic every season, and offensive tackles can no longer succeed as an immobile wall. They must be able to move with the opposing pass rusher, step for step, and Jones’ quickness will be just as important as his size and strength.
Assuming he keeps his strength up at 305, adding mobility will be a welcome sight.
Pressure Is on Broderick Jones & Steelers OL to Perform in 2025
No matter who’s at quarterback, the Steelers offense will want to run the football in 2025.
They’ll also need to protect the QB on passing downs and play action, as is the case with every NFL team, putting the pressure squarely on recent draft picks like Jones, Troy Fautanu and Zach Frazier.
“No position group should face more scrutiny this season than the offensive line,” DeFabo responded to a fan during a mailbag post on May 9. “[Steelers GM Omar] Khan has taken a patient, trench-oriented approach to roster building. He’s passed on polarizing skill position players and instead loaded up on linemen.”
“If the Steelers want to play this brand of football, the offensive line needs to be the reason the team is winning games in December,” the reporter went on at the time. Adding: “The line failed that test last year against Philadelphia and Baltimore.”
“We’re going to know a lot more about how this team is trending based on how well the line plays this season,” he concluded.
Similarly, on May 27, veteran beat writer Mark Kaboly argued that the development of the Steelers’ OL is a “bigger deal” for Pittsburgh than storylines like Aaron Rodgers and the George Pickens trade.
“The group went through their growing pains a year ago, but the expectations placed on them are as high as ever for the unit with the return of Fautanu following an early-season injury that ruined his rookie year, Jones flipping over to his more natural left tackle spot and a year under the belts of Frazier and [Mason] McCormick as starters,” Kaboly reasoned within.
Heading into year three of his rookie contract with a fifth-year option decision on the horizon in 2026, the pressure and expectations are on Jones more than most.
