The Steelers may have just handed the Cowboys another familiar name, and another reminder of a mistake Pittsburgh fans have already seen once before.
Over the weekend, Pittsburgh moved on from Broderick Jones, sending him and a 2027 fourth-round pick to Dallas in exchange for a third- and sixth-rounder. That sixth-round pick is the same one the Steelers gave up in last year’s George Pickens deal, which makes the whole sequence feel even stranger: consecutive offseasons, consecutive exits to Dallas, and now a growing little Steelers collection in Texas.
That also means Jerry Jones’ team is suddenly stocking up on former Steelers nearly 50 years after Pittsburgh beat Dallas in Super Bowls 10 and 13.
For Broderick Jones, the move comes with one obvious source of optimism. Pickens absolutely took off after leaving Pittsburgh, posting 93 catches, 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025. That kind of breakout made the trade look rougher and rougher from the Steelers’ side.
“Seeing what George did last year just gave me a boost, especially coming to the same team,” Jones said Monday. Jones also said Pickens was the first person he reached out to after the deal. Pickens didn’t overcomplicate the moment: “Let's get it, man.”
The reunion makes sense on paper. The two were teammates at Georgia, won the 2021 national championship together, and later spent three seasons together in Pittsburgh.
But Jones is not walking into the same situation Pickens did.
Per Dallas Sports Journal’s Grant Afseth, Brian Schottenheimer has Jones battling for the starting right tackle job. Jones also said he’s only about 85 to 90 percent physically after spinal fusion surgery.
And that right tackle detail is where the whole thing starts to feel uncomfortably familiar for Steelers fans. Pittsburgh spent most of Jones’ first two seasons using him on the right side, even though his natural position is left tackle, which he played at Georgia throughout his career.
Still Curtain was already asking in 2024 why the Steelers wouldn’t move him back to the left. When they finally did in 2025, Jones played all 603 of his offensive snaps there before a neck injury ended his season.
So yes, Dallas may have just found another former Steeler to plug in. And yes, Pittsburgh may have to sit back and watch Pickens and Jones try to make it work together under that blue star. That would be painfully on-brand.
In Other News...
Lions Linked To An Aggressive Move That Would Change This Secondary
The Steelers secondary could end up watching this situation closely, even if the chatter starts in Detroit. A Bleacher Report analyst recently floated a possible trade involving cornerback Joey Porter Jr., tying the conversation to his contract status and the growing sense that the 24-year-old wants a long-term extension while Pittsburgh has not yet put a formal offer on the table. For a team that has leaned on Porter as part of its defensive future, any talk like this naturally lands with extra weight.
Detroits need for help at cornerback is part of what makes the idea intriguing, and the analysts evaluation of Porters trade value only adds to the noise. From Pittsburghs side, the question is less about fit than timing, because Porter remains young enough to be central to the Steelers plans if an extension gets done. Until then, the Lions connection keeps the door open on a scenario that would reshape one of the AFC Norths most watched secondaries. [Read more 🡒]
Ex Steelers Linebacker Lands Fast While Reunion Candidate Still Waits
Malik Harrison did not stay on the market for long. The linebacker, who spent time with the Steelers, has already landed on the Giants practice squad, a quick next step for a veteran trying to carve out another path after moving on from Pittsburgh. For teams sorting through depth and special-teams help late in the roster cycle, players with that kind of experience can still move fast when an opening appears.
Elandon Roberts, another former Steelers linebacker, is still waiting for his next opportunity. His status keeps the reunion conversation alive for anyone tracking Pittsburghs linebacker room and the broader ripple effects of those roster decisions, especially with both players having recent ties to the same defense. For now, the contrast is simple: one ex-Steelers linebacker found a landing spot, while another remains unsigned. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Wilson Just Said What Steelers Fans Wanted To Hear
A new look is coming to the Steelers defense in 2026, with Patrick Graham taking over as defensive coordinator and fresh faces like Jamel Dean and Jaquan Brisker expected to help shape the unit. For Payton Wilson, the early signs of that transition have already been encouraging. The young inside linebacker sounded upbeat about the direction of the defense during a recent podcast appearance, and his comments point to a coaching setup that feels noticeably different from what came before.
Wilsons optimism matters because he is still carving out his role in the middle of Pittsburghs defense, where development and trust go hand in hand. The Steelers want him to keep growing into a key piece of that linebacker room, and the sense that he can play more freely under the new staff only adds to the intrigue around what this defense could look like when the changes fully take hold. [Read more 🡒]