The Pittsburgh Steelers have officially moved on from Broderick Jones, sending the 2023 first-round offensive tackle to the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, according to multiple reports.
Jones leaves Pittsburgh after starting 38 games at both left and right tackle and appearing in 45 games over his first three seasons. Even with that draft pedigree, his time with the Steelers had been trending this way for a while. A new coaching staff arrived, and the team also added tackle Max Iheanachor in April, which made Jones a trade possibility over the summer.
Now Dallas gets a depth tackle who is expected to be a 2026 swing tackle, while Jones is likely headed for free agency in 2027. The deal also gives the Cowboys some protection if injuries hit Tyler Guyton or Terence Steele, and it comes at a price that isn’t overwhelming: Dallas moves down from a third to a fourth and also sends a sixth to get Jones.
From the Cowboys’ side, that’s a solid piece of business. They’re buying time and insurance at a spot where they can’t really afford instability this season. Jones gets a chance to reset his career in a new setting after some uneven starts in Pittsburgh, and Dallas gets a little more peace of mind if the tackle depth gets tested.
GRADE: B+
For Pittsburgh, the move was about clearing out a player who no longer fit the plan. Trading Jones instead of simply waiving him gives the Steelers something back, and flipping a fourth into a third plus a sixth is better than walking away empty-handed. Still, that doesn’t erase the bigger issue: taking Jones in the first round and not getting through his rookie deal with him is a miss that lingers.
The Steelers didn’t see Jones as part of their future, so the trade was the practical move. But it’s also a reminder that moving on from a former first-round pick for less than the original investment is never a clean look.
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