Georgia left tackle Broderick Jones was Steelers general manager Omar Khan’s first draft pick in the role — the intended cornerstone of the team’s offensive line rebuild.
However, despite three seasons
with 10-plus starts to begin his career, Jones’ NFL future remains murky. His struggles certainly haven’t just been his fault, but it remains to be seen if the Steelers would be wise to invest in him as a starter after his rookie contract.
While Jones is entering his fourth season as a Steeler in 2026, Pittsburgh has an important decision to make by May 1: whether or not to exercise his fifth-year option for 2027.
To clarify, the contract won’t affect Jones’ 2026, but it will determine whether he plays an extra year in Pittsburgh (at an estimated $20,497,000 per Over the Cap) in 2027, or hits the open market a year early (where he could still return to Pittsburgh on a new contract).
Should the Steelers exercise Broderick Jones’ fifth-year option?
First off, it’s worth contextualizing the $20 million range Jones is expected to earn if the option is exercised. Using Spotrac’s numbers, that would place him around 18th at his position right now in terms of average per year. By 2027, the market will have risen even more as the cap continues to skyrocket upwards, lowering Jones’ rank even more.
Interestingly, Jones’ fifth-year option would fall just under current Titans left tackle Dan Moore’s $20.5 million per year average. Moore was the Steelers’ left tackle before Jones, and he faced equal — if not worse — criticism for his play during his time in Pittsburgh. That’s not to say Moore was secretly great, but that is the market for starting-caliber offensive tackles in today’s NFL.
So maybe the option isn’t as expensive as it looks. But the question still remains — do the Steelers want to play and play Jones as a long-term starter?
As mentioned earlier, the Steelers haven’t put Jones in the greatest position to succeed. While he’s had the same offensive line coach his entire NFL career up until this offseason, he’s had to move from right to left tackle (and has been left in limbo at times) in recent seasons.
His play in 2025 showed more promise. Although Aaron Rodgers’ blazing-fast time to throw inflated the offense’s overall pressure numbers, Jones was solid in pass protection and part of a largely successful unit. However, his technique — especially in the run game — continued to be up and down, resulting in a large percentage of the offensive line’s lowlights in 2025.
Further complicating things was a late-season neck injury of unknown severity that prematurely ended his year. Then, unheralded backup Dylan Cook stepped in at left tackle and delivered performances that weren’t necessarily flashy, but compared well to Jones. Cook had major struggles against the Texans’ all-world front in the playoffs, but before then, at times he looked even better than the former first-rounder.
Jones has certainly looked like a starter at times. And his upside remains incredibly high. But entering his fourth NFL season, he’s still far more of a developmental prospect than a sure thing.
Especially with Cook in the fold and an offensive line that has young pieces worth locking up elsewhere, I don’t see a reason for the Steelers to commit to Jones’ fifth-year option. It’s better to risk the best-case scenario of a 2026 breakout and contract dispute than paying $20 million for a player who might be replaceable in 2027. You could even make the argument (I would) that Jones and Cook should be in a camp battle this offseason.
As with all fifth-year option decisions, it’s worth pointing out a declined option certainly doesn’t end a player’s chances of sticking around long-term with the team that drafted them. However, it would raise the stakes for what is already shaping up to be a massively-important 2026 for Jones.
What are your thoughts on Broderick Jones’ fifth-year option? Should the Steelers exercise it before the deadline? Join the BTSC community and let us know in the comments.
