The Pittsburgh Steelers are declining the fifth-year option of left tackle Broderick Jones , according to a report by Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, ahead of Friday's deadline.
The option would have kept Jones in Pittsburgh through the end of the 2027 season, with a cost of $19.072 million, fully guaranteed. The Steelers could still work out a contract extension at a different amount with Jones between now and when his contract is currently scheduled to expire next March.
Jones suffered a neck injury that prematurely ended his 2025 season in Week 12 against the Chicago Bears . That injury later required surgery, and the Steelers do not have a timeline for when Jones will be able to return to action.
Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Broderick Jones at training camp on July 25, 2025. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
It was reported early last week that Jones suffered a setback in his recovery, but Steelers general manager Omar Khan said that was not the case in his pre-draft press conference last Monday. Jones has been participating in the first two phases of the Steelers' offseason conditioning program.
With Jones' status uncertain, the Steelers used their first-round pick in last Thursday's 2026 NFL Draft on tackle Max Iheanachor from Arizona State.
How the Steelers will deploy their tackles in 2026 is up in the air. Jones started at left tackle with Troy Fautanu at right tackle in 2025, and Dylan Cook replaced Jones after his injury on the left side. Iheanachor played almost exclusively right tackle in his three seasons at Arizona State.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now : Steelers Make Decision on Fifth-Year Option for Broderick Jones
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