Steelers notes: No more ‘or’ between starter Broderick Jones and Chuks Okorafor at RT

Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin initially was noncommittal about if the promotion of Broderick Jones was permanent. A pdf document sent out Tuesday made it official.

Not that there was any question Jones would remain the Steelers’ starting right tackle for the remainder of the season. The rookie No. 14 overall draft pick has performed well in each of his four starts, the past three in place of veteran Chuks Okorafor. But until this week, the Steelers’ official depth chart had included an “-OR-” between the names of Jones and Okorafor.

The Steelers have had their three highest rushing yardage totals of the season the past three games, averaging 147.7 per outing. Pro Football Focus data credits Jones with having allowed four pressures (one sack) over 98 pass-blocking snaps during the past three games.

Okorafor has the fourth-highest salary-cap hit on the Steelers roster this season. He is due $8.75 million in 2024 but if he is cut prior to mid-March will only cost the Steelers $3.083 million in “dead money.”

Fitzpatrick return?

All Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick has missed the past three-plus games because of a hamstring injury. Tomlin did not rule out that he could return for Sunday’s game at the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Minkah is working hard to be component of this week’s plan, as is (defensive tackle Montravius Adams),” Tomlin said during his weekly news conference Tuesday. “In both cases, we’ll be thoughtful about their participation and levels of participation. When we get later in the week, we’ll let the amount of that participation and the quality of it potentially be our guide in terms of their availability.”

Adams, who has an ankle ailment that has kept him out the past two games, is the purported starter at nose tackle. Rookie Keeanu Benton, though, might have taken the job away from him for good.

Without Fitzpatrick and Keanu Neal (on injured reserve with a rib injury), the Steelers are down to Damontae Kazee and recent practice squad promotion Trenton Thompson at safety.

Safety signed

The Steelers signed defensive back Henry Black to their practice squad Tuesday, adding more depth with Fitzpatrick, Neal and Elijah Riley out. Riley went on the injured reserve list Monday because of an ankle injury.

Black has 25 games of NFL regular-season experience, all with the Green Bay Packers in 2020-21. He played at various spots in the secondary in that time but was with three teams’ practice squads the past two seasons.

Rookie inside linebacker Tyler Murray was released from the practice squad in the corresponding move.

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