Tim Benz: Broderick Jones is great for the Steelers. The trade to get him was even better

Georgia offensive tackle Broderick Jones is the guy I wanted the Pittsburgh Steelers to select in the first round.

I wasn’t sure he’d still be on the board when the team was originally supposed to pick at No. 17, and I wasn’t sure that they’d be able to trade up for him if the organization wanted to do so.

Which is why the circumstances that eventually led to the Steelers drafting Jones on Thursday are as almost as delicious as the selection itself.

First of all, the Steelers got help from, of all teams, the New England Patriots.

Yes, those New England Patriots.

Obviously, right? I mean when the Steelers are in their hour of need, who else to turn to besides old pal Bill Belichick and all their friends in Foxborough?

It was New England that traded with Pittsburgh to move back to No. 17 from the 14th slot, where the Steelers eventually selected Jones.

One spot ahead of their AFC East rivals, the New York Jets. The same Jets who allegedly coveted a tackle and had an interest in Jones.

Think that was a coincidence? Nah. Neither do I.

The #Steelers have selected OT Broderick Jones, one pick before the #Jets, sources tell @snytv

That's a blow for #NYJ. They wanted an OL bad.

— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) April 28, 2023

The #Steelers traded up to take #Georgia OT Broderick Jones at No. 14 -- one spot ahead of the #Jets, who need OL help, thanks to a trade with the rival #Patriots. https://t.co/bToyTd2b1f

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) April 28, 2023

The Jets…

-Telling everyone how much they love Broderick Jones

-Including pick swap with Packers in Rodgers trade so they’re behind division rivals

-Allow Steelers to leap them

-Reaching for Will McDonald

…is why they’re the Jets.

— Ross Tucker (@RossTuckerNFL) April 28, 2023

Oh my leave to Belichick to stick it to #Jets as usual and Steelers take Broderick Jones !

— Connie Carberg (@ConnieScouts) April 28, 2023

Hearing the Jets wanted Broderick Jones. Andy Weidl and Joe Douglas are BFFs. Steelers conspired with Belichick to screw Jets. You love to hear it !

— Andrew Fillipponi (@ThePoniExpress) April 28, 2023

“We had a high level of preparedness,” coach Mike Tomlin said after the selection. “We weren’t willing to mortgage anything more than a third-day pick. He got within range. There had been a run at his position. There were some teams ahead of us that may have been interested in the position. He was a player that we coveted. So we did what we needed to do to secure the player that we identified.”

Also helping the Steelers is that the Jets had dropped behind the Patriots by virtue of flipping picks with the Green Bay Packers in the Aaron Rodgers trade.

OT Broderick Jones to the Steelers at 14. The downside to the Rodgers trade was dropping two spots. Probably cost the #Jets a quality OLM.

— Rich Cimini (@RichCimini) April 28, 2023

“I really wasn’t expecting anything. I was just waiting on my name to be called,” Jones said when asked if he was expecting to be a Jet. “At the end of the day, the Steelers did what they could to get me. So, I’m happy with what happened.”

Another reason to celebrate the Jones selection is that the Steelers only had to toss in a fourth-round pick (No. 120) — along with swapping first-round selections — with the Patriots to make the trade.

Actually, come to think of it, I bet Belichick enjoyed messing with the Jets so much, the Patriots should’ve given Pittsburgh a fourth-rounder.

“We were prepared with what we believed clubs behind us and in front of us were interested in, and what their needs are. It just sorta worked out. It was more about us really wanting the player. Then we found someone that was willing to trade at value we were comfortable with,” general manager Omar Khan said Thursday night.

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Further aiding the Steelers’ cause is that there was a run on quarterbacks and running backs. Having selected Kenny Pickett and Najee Harris in the first round of each of the previous two drafts, there was no way the Steelers were taking a player from either of those two position pools. Five of the top 12 picks were players at those two positions. That pushed a number of offensive tackles and cornerbacks down the board.

Those were the Steelers’ primary positions of need coming into the draft. So even if the franchise couldn’t pull off a trade to secure Jones, they could’ve had their pick of Christian Gonzalez (eventually selected by New England), Joey Porter Jr., Emmanuel Forbes and Deonte Banks — four cornerbacks believed to have been on the Steelers’ radar.

One of them, Porter Jr., is still available for the Steelers to select with their first overall pick in the second round Friday.

Which temptation will be greater? To select the son of one of Tomlin’s former assistant coaches and a former Steelers All-Pro? Or to get a haul of picks in exchange?

Either way, the Steelers have great potential to come out smelling like a rose before the third round begins. Dirty as it may seem, in part, the Steelers have the Patriots to thank.

Before Khan left the podium Thursday night, he was asked what it was like executing his first draft-day trade as a general manager with the folks in New England.

“It was great today.” Khan said after a laugh. “It was good. We got a deal done. A win-win.”

But not for the Jets.