Steelers trade Broderick Jones to Cowboys for draft picks

Broderick Jones went from Pittsburgh's supposed left tackle of the future to a swing-tackle project in Dallas in the span of one trade call, and the Cowboys are betting his neck injury and a lost year in the pecking order were the exception, not the rule.

The Steelers made Jones the 14th overall pick in the 2023 draft, trading up to get him out of Georgia. He never really looked like that guy again after a Week 11 collision last season that led to spinal fusion surgery on his neck, and Pittsburgh made its lack of faith official this offseason by declining his fifth-year option. Jeremy Fowler had the emotional read on it before the trade even fully cleared: Jones "was odd man out in Pittsburgh after neck injury and welcomed a fresh start. He gets one in Dallas."

Jeremy Fowler

@JFowlerESPN

Was odd man out in Pittsburgh after neck injury and welcomed a fresh start. He gets one in Dallas.

The compensation took a few minutes to nail down as reporters worked their sources in real time, but Albert Breer landed the final terms: the Cowboys get Jones and a 2027 fourth-round pick, while the Steelers get a 2027 third and a 2027 sixth. Pittsburgh's own beat guys weren't shocked by the return. Mark Kaboly laid out exactly how Jones became expendable — the Steelers played him 140 preseason snaps across 3 games fully knowing Troy Fautanu and Max Iheanachor were the actual plan up front, and the Cowboys apparently liked the tape anyway.

Mark Kaboly

@MarkKaboly

Steelers showcased Broderick Jones in preseason playing him 140 snaps in 3 games knowing he wasn't going to be part of the future with Fautanu and Iheanachor. Guess the Cowboys liked what they saw. 👀

Dallas isn't walking in blind on the health question, either. Calvin Watkins pointed out Jones played every Steelers preseason game and started at Buffalo on 37 snaps, which is about as clean a bill of health as a guy coming off spinal fusion surgery can present. Clarence Hill Jr. framed the honest version of the profile: 38 career starts, a former first-rounder, coming off neck surgery, still rebuilding his weight and strength, a locker room favorite who was nonetheless a real disappointment in Pittsburgh — but an upgrade as a backup tackle in Dallas with real upside left on the table.

Two days after the trade closed, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer made clear this isn't just organizational depth. He told reporters Jones will compete with Terence Steele for the starting right tackle job — and that he personally called Steele to give him the heads-up when the trade went down.

Clarence Hill Jr

@clarencehilljr

Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Broderick Jones will compete with Terence Steele for the starting spot at right tackle. He called and told Steele.

It's a notable vote of confidence for a guy Pittsburgh had basically buried on the depth chart. Tyler Guyton, who Breer noted has had a strong camp, keeps the left tackle job outright — Schottenheimer told him as much too, with Drew Shelton as his backup. That leaves Jones parachuting into an actual competition at right tackle rather than a camp body role, with Schottenheimer summing up the logic simply: "Broderick was brought in for a reason."