Broderick Jones isn’t getting a fifth-year option from the Pittsburgh Steelers. The player the Steelers wanted to pick in the 2026 draft has already signed a contract in Philadelphia.

Mike McCarthy continues to throw flowers at the feet of Will Howard. The Penguins-Flyers rivalry drew big TV ratings.

And the RMU men’s lacrosse team is one win away from repeating as NEC champions.

Bye-bye Broderick

It’s been speculated for quite a while, but ESPN is now reporting that the Steelers are declining the fifth-year option on offensive tackle Broderick Jones. He was the franchise’s first-round pick in 2023.

That means Jones will be a free agent after this season. The option would’ve paid $19.1 million dollars in 2027. The former Georgia Bulldog is coming off a neck injury that ended his season in Week 12.

The 24-year-old has 38 career starts between right and left tackle.

Speculation about letting Jones walk has been rampant since his injury last year and the surprisingly effective play of backup Dylan Cook down the stretch of 2025.

That concern was compounded when the Steelers drafted first-round tackle Max Iheanachor and third-round OT/OG Gennings Dunker.

There’s a way for Will

Steelers coach Mike McCarthy is still gassing up quarterback Will Howard even after the club selected Drew Allar in the third round of last week’s NFL draft.

Appearing on Mad Dog Sports Radio, McCarthy told Adam Schein that he thinks Howard is a starting-caliber NFL quarterback.

“Will Howard is someone I’m extremely excited about,” McCarthy said. “Our time together — this short time — there’s a lot there to work with. And I think he’s going to be definitely a starter in this league.”

McCarthy also pumped up his other quarterbacks.

“We know what Aaron Rodgers means to this team, if he comes back,” McCarthy said. “Mason (Rudolph) is doing a (heck) of a job. Always respected him from afar. So, it’s a really good room for Drew to come into. He’s a rookie. He needs to learn it. But there’s a method to how we train the quarterback position, and I’m just trying to have the best competitive quarterback room that we possibly can have. I think we definitely accomplished that by drafting Drew.”

It’s notable that McCarthy said Howard is a starter “in this league” and not necessarily “in Pittsburgh.” But that’s splitting hairs.

The larger point is, if McCarthy thinks Howard (without ever taking a snap in a game) is “definitely” a starting-capable quarterback at age 24 and at $1.06 million against the salary cap, why not accelerate his career development instead of chasing around 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers at $15 million?

Unless, of course, he is just propping up Howard as trade bait.

Makai’s money

As Steelers fans well know, Makai Lemon was the 20th player selected in the NFL Draft.

Now he is the first pick to sign.

The Steelers were at pick No. 21 and on the phone with Lemon informing him of their plans to select him at that spot at exactly the same time the Eagles had traded up to the 20th pick to nab the USC wideout before the Steelers’ turn.

Now Lemon is already in the nest of the Eagles.

According to the NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the 2025 Biletnikoff Award winner signed a four-year fully guaranteed contract that includes an $11.5 million signing bonus.

After year three, the Eagles could exercise a fifth-year option for Lemon. The Steelers went with Iheanachor once the 21st pick came around. They got a wide receiver, Germie Bernard of Alabama, in the second round.

Eyes on PA

The “Battle of Pennsylvania” NHL series between the Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers certainly got a lot of people to watch hockey.

According to ESPN, Monday’s Pens-Flyers game at PPG Paints Arena was the most-viewed first-round Game 5 in cable television history. The network claims 2 million people watched it.

ESPN reports that viewership for the first round of the NHL playoffs is up 190% over its average from last year.

Game 1 of the series actually drew slightly more eyeballs, with 2.1 million tuning in.

1 step away

Robert Morris is hosting the men’s NEC Lacrosse Championships this weekend at Joe Walton Stadium. RMU is utilizing the home-field advantage.

The top-seeded Colonials beat VMI 12-5 on Thursday in the semifinals. Goalie Nate Fechter made 18 saves. That’s a conference tournament record.

The Colonials will next face No. 2 Long Island University at 4 p.m. Saturday with a trip to the NCAA Tournament on the line. The Sharks beat No. 3 Cleveland State in overtime 15-14 in the other semifinal.

Meanwhile, the school is also hosting the MAC women’s tournament. However, fourth-seeded RMU lost to top-ranked UMass, 14-5. The Minutewomen face No. 2 Akron for the conference championship at noon Saturday. The Zips edged Eastern Michigan 10-9 in the other semifinal.

Listen: Tim Benz and Chris Adamski discuss the state of the Steelers offensive line and their quarterbacks in this week’s offseason podcast