Pittsburgh is declining Jones' (neck) fifth-year option, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
Jones would have been paid $19.1 million for 2027 if the Steelers had picked up the option, but instead his rookie contract will end after this coming season. Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com reports that Pittsburgh's decision to decline the option was influenced by Jones' neck injury, which cut his season short early last year and may prevent him from being ready for training camp -- and potentially Week 1 of the regular season -- in 2026. When Jones has been healthy he's played well, and he started 37 of the 38 regular-season games in which he appeared over the past two campaigns.