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The Pittsburgh Steelers are trading offensive tackle Broderick Jones to the Dallas Cowboys, team sources confirmed to The Athletic. The sources spoke under condition of anonymity to discuss a deal that was not yet official.
The Steelers are also sending a fourth-round draft pick to Dallas in the trade, and are receiving a third-round pick and a sixth-round pick from the Cowboys in return.
Jones has played in 45 games across three NFL seasons, starting 38. Pittsburgh drafted him No. 14 in the first round out of Georgia in 2023. He was a two-year starter for the Bulldogs, winning CFP national championships in 2021 and 2022.
Cowboys add depth at a position of need
Offensive tackle has been a position of concern for the Cowboys since the start of training camp, with the biggest question mark being left tackle. It was set to be an open competition between Tyler Guyton, who was a first-round pick in 2024, and Nate Thomas, a 2024 seventh-rounder. That battle didn’t last long, as Guyton started to have a good camp and quickly pulled away from the competition.
Friday night, Cowboys coach Brian Schottenheimer said Guyton is “playing as good of football as I’ve seen him play since he’s been a Dallas Cowboy. … I think he’s playing at a very, very high level.”
Dallas still has an issue at swing tackle, however, and right tackle Terence Steele hasn’t had a great camp. An emergency tackle option for Dallas is moving All-Pro left guard Tyler Smith out to left tackle. The Cowboys would prefer to avoid that option.
Could the Cowboys be looking to sign players still?
Jon Machota
Adding Jones gives Dallas help at both tackle spots and a player they hope to count on as a swing tackle option. Dallas used a fourth-round pick this year on offensive tackle Drew Shelton, but he hasn’t looked ready to contribute on Sundays. Jones might not be a perfect fit or an enormous upgrade, but it’s a good bet he’s better than what they currently have as depth. — Jon Machota
A project who never quite developed for the Steelers
Jones always held an important place in Steelers history as GM Omar Khan’s first-ever draft pick in 2023. When the Steelers moved up from pick No. 17 to No. 14 to select the tackle out of Georgia, he was supposed to begin a transformation in the trenches and anchor the offensive line for years to come. Now, after largely inadequate development, an up-and-down three years in Pittsburgh and a neck injury that required spinal fusion surgery, Jones is getting a fresh start.
Jones was considered somewhat raw coming out of Georgia after starting just 19 games for the Bulldogs. However, the Steelers were enticed by his mobility and athleticism. The team deserves some level of fault for a somewhat odd approach to development. The Steelers started Jones at right tackle. Then in his second year, the Steelers asked Jones to begin on the right and be prepared — at some uncertain point when Troy Fautanu was ready — to switch to left tackle. That never happened, because Fautanu lost almost his entire rookie year to injury. Then in Year 3, the Steelers finally played Jones at left tackle, the position he was supposed to play all along.
In Week 12 of the 2025 season, Jones sustained a neck injury that ultimately required spinal fusion surgery. The Steelers declined his fifth-year option. The ongoing rehab kept Jones out of the weight room for about four months. The time he lost has shown this preseason. Jones says he weighs 300 pounds but looks considerably lighter. He’s currently missing the strong punch and the requisite weight to play the position at a high level. During the second preseason game, for example, Jones allowed a pair of sacks.
The Steelers began to prepare for life after Jones this offseason by drafting Max Iheanachor. He was the third tackle the team has picked in the first round since 2023. Considering Jones was likely to serve as a backup swing tackle (at best), the compensation that Khan received feels like a minor win at the end of a largely disappointing Steelers tenure.
The key for Jones and the Cowboys is to give the tackle time. He needs to add size and strength in the weight room. Keeping him on the same side will also aid in his ongoing development. — Mike DeFabo
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