Fans who have been clamoring for the Pittsburgh Steelers to start first-round pick Broderick Jones got their wish Thursday.
Just not in the way they’d thought.
Jones was in the starting lineup for the game at Acrisure Stadium against the Tennessee Titans — but it was not at the left tackle spot he’s spent most of his practice time at but at right tackle.
Jones started in place of veteran Chuks Okorafor, the player who has the third-highest salary-cap hit ($13.083 million) of any player on the Steelers roster this season. Okorafor, a six-year veteran, is in the midst of his fourth season as the Steelers starting right tackle.
There was no immediate word if Okorafor was injured. As mandated by the league, the Steelers released injury reports Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, but the team did not practice Monday and held only walkthroughs the ensuing two days. Still, league rules require an accurate estimate of practice participation during these short weeks.
Okorafor was active and in uniform for Thursday’s game. Okorafor has missed only one start since he took over for Zach Banner as the Steelers’ right tackle during the second half of the 2020 season opener when Banner suffered a torn ACL in his knee.
Jones made his only prior career start for the Oct. 8 home win against the Baltimore Ravens, though he had come in for Dan Moore Jr. at left tackle early during the prior game when Moore suffered an injury during a loss at the Houston Texans.
Moore has served as the Steelers’ starting left tackle during each of his four NFL seasons, but it has been presumed Jones is the heir apparent since the Steelers traded up to select Jones out of Georgia with the No. 14 overall pick of April’s draft.
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