Steelers coach Mike Tomlin hasn’t been afraid to shake up his lineup this season.
But the latest demotion was a guy who was supposed to make an immediate impact.
According to Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, first-round pick Jarvis Jones has been replaced by Jason Worilds.
The 17th overall pick was elevated to the starting lineup after one game, but has now given the outside linebacker job away.
“He’s just not doing enough detail work right now and Jason Worilds is,” Tomlin said of Jones. “That’s the reality of it. There is more detail in Worilds’ work right now than Jarvis.”
Worilds started and played 52 snaps Sunday at Oakland, to Jones’ 11.
For the season, they have a sack between them, and that one belongs to Worilds. That’s hardly what they were expecting when they tried to get James Harrison to take a pay cut and then sent him packing.
The fact Worilds didn’t hold Jones off long and hasn’t been particularly productive also leaves the door open for Jones to get back in the lineup.
“He’s got to play better from an assignment standpoint,” Tomlin said. “If he can do that he’ll be given an opportunity to do that now.”
The move marks the fifth time Tomlin has made a switch to the starting lineup, which isn’t the worst idea when a team is 2-5.