Dan Moore Jr's return to the field Monday also came with first-team reps, despite Broderick Jones playing well in his first career start last Sunday against the Ravens.
Mike Tomlin is aware of this circumstance. There is a first-round draft pick who played well against a division rival just nine days ago, but Tomlin also has the opportunity to get back a starting left tackle who edged that first-round pick in training camp for that same starting position.
Moore was listed ahead of Jones in the team's official depth chart released Tuesday. But, there is at least a chance that the tide could be turned in Jones' favor this week. In his weekly press conference Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Tomlin didn't exactly cement Moore as the starter over Jones for Sunday's matchup at the Rams.
It will be contingent on Moore's health as he is working back from an MCL sprain. If healthy, Moore will in all likelihood start over Jones on Sunday.
"That's a big 'if,'" Tomlin said in his weekly press conference Tuesday at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. "We've got some work ahead of us. He'll be given an opportunity to show his progress over the course of the week, and we'll make that decision at the appropriate time. It doesn't behoove us to make hypothetical statements at the early portions of the week. (Moore) looked pretty good yesterday. We'll see where the week leads us."
The Steelers have not been shy to this philosophy of playing the veteran over the rookie for the sake of the rookie's growth and development. Just look at last season. Kenny Pickett was drafted in the first round but sat the bench for the starts of four games before being unleashed at halftime of Week 4. George Pickens had a role as a "Go" receiver behind Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool before coming into his own as an all-encompassing receiving threat to begin this season. The list continues in the time machine, but it's clear that this is a Tomlin philosophy with respect to his young players.
Perhaps Tomlin's decision on his starting left tackle would have been easier to make -- and less controversial -- if Jones struggled against the Ravens.
That was not the case.
Jones earned a 97.6 run block win rate and allowed just one quarterback pressure on 37 pass-blocking snaps in that game, per Pro Football Focus. He was physically dominant and was not whistled for a false start at any point, all while at many points landing on an island with Jadeveon Clowney's pass rush and winning the one-on-one battles against the three-time Pro Bowler.
Tomlin acknowledged Jones gained valuable "in-helmet perspective" last Sunday, and that Jones hasn't been deficient in learning from other opportunities afforded from practice and film study. There is a method the Steelers have towards analyzing each player, and the concept of playing Moore over Jones is a direct application of it.
It provides a window for analysis. But, the Steelers have to tread on it one step at a time.
"Very carefully," Tomlin said. "Every venue is an opportunity for learning for a young player. Classroom, practices, watching others, and then ultimately playing yourself. We're not interested in excluding any of the teach tools because different people learn differently. We're trying to accelerate the growth process for all parties involved and I don't know that we view any of those things any differently. When you're a young player just about every opportunity whether it's physical work or watching others or on your feet or butt-in-seats in the classroom is an opportunity to get better in growth."
There is a school of thinking that employs this: A player should not lose his starting job because of an injury.
But, the contrary is nothing new to the Steelers.
Just look to 2002 in the Bill Cowher era. Tommy Maddox took over for Kordell Stewart, led the Steelers to an AFC North title, and won the NFL's Comeback Player of the Year award. As the starter in 2003, Maddox led the Steelers to a 6-10 record -- the most recent losing record this franchise has experienced -- which led to the drafting of Ben Roethlisberger in the first round in 2004.
Maddox began that 2004 season as the starting quarterback, but an injury in Week 2 thrust Roethlisberger into the starting position. The Steelers lost that Week 2 game but rattled off 14 consecutive wins to close the regular season at 15-1 and won a Divisional playoff game against the Jets before losing the AFC Championship Game to the Patriots.
A star was born as a result of opportunity. The future Hall of Famer Roethlisberger would not relinquish that job until his retirement at the end of the 2021 season.
It's possible. It can be beneficial.
But, for these 2023 Steelers, Tomlin is going to approach this differently.
"It's on a case by case basis, and it has to be," Tomlin said. "I want to be fair to everyone. If they're quick learners and so forth, I don't want to exclude them. If they're veteran players that don't require a lot of physical reps you don't want to exclude them, et cetera. Over the years I've learned to handle it on a case by case basis."
This same logic applies across the board, especially to Joey Porter Jr.
Porter has been a lock-down cornerback during his time on the field despite sitting behind Levi Wallace and Patrick Peterson with respect to playing time. He has allowed just one completion and forced two incompletions on eight targets in his 63 snaps. He has allowed a passer rating of 27.6.
The opportunities for Jones and Porter have been seized, just as it was seized by Keeanu Benton because of the absences of Cam Heyward and DeMarvin Leal.
But, Tomlin and his staff are going to remain steadfast on their processes of letting growth and development play out. That doesn't necessarily indicate these rookies are undeserving of starting spots.
In fact, Tomlin seemed content with how Jones and Porter are coming along within those processes.
"I think with each week (the rookies) all are," Tomlin said. "There's several variables at play. It's what it is that they do and the quality at which they do it, but I think it's also opportunity. Such is always the case in team play. Things and decisions don't happen in a vacuum. You can be somewhat pleased with the progress of a player in terms of the direction that they're moving, but the opportunity has to be there. We challenge all of these guys to not be patient. This is not a patient person's business.
"That doesn't behoove them to be patient. We ask them to work while they wait for their opportunity and then put their readiness on display. To this point some of the guys that you're asking about -- Broderick Jones, Joey Porter Jr. -- have done a really good job of that, and so we'll wait for continued opportunities and increased opportunities for them and check their progress as we move forward."
