Nov 19, 2015 5 min read

PITTSBURGH – Jarvis Jones might never do enough to satisfy Steelers fans.

They’ll always point to his first-round draft pick status and expect him to be a double-digit sack, game-changing player.

In his third season, Jones is rounding into form as a solid contributor for the Steelers, who enter their bye week with a 6-4 record. That is enough for now for the former University of Georgia star.

“I think Jarvis’ development is getting a lot better just from a scheme standpoint,” said Steelers outside linebackers coach Joey Porter. “The stats aren’t there for what we all look at, but how we’re playing and what we’re asking him to do, he’s playing the run and he’s playing the pass. He’s giving great effort all the time. I think he’s doing a good job and is just going to get better.”

Jones’ 22 tackles, two sacks, one forced fumble and two fumble recoveries aren’t going to turn anyone’s head. When you consider he’s played in just over 41 percent of the defensive snaps this season, it’s not that bad.

But the Steelers will have to decide after this season if that production merits picking up the fifth-year option on Jones’ contract. Twenty of 32 teams picked up their option on their first-round picks from the 2012 draft, including the Steelers with David DeCastro. The Steelers could try to sign Jones at a lower cost or allow him to become a free agent after 2016.

It would be in their best interest to figure out how big of a part Jones will play on defense in the future. The Steelers have rotated outside linebackers this season, with Jones working largely on the right side with James Harrison and Arthur Moats and rookie Bud Dupree playing on the left side.

It’s been a strict rotation for the most part with Jones and Moats, the starters, playing together and Harrison and Dupree working in tandem.

Jones’ numbers compare favorably with those of Harrison, who has 25 tackles and two sacks and one forced fumble, so he’s making progress. That’s especially true considering Harrison played more than 50 percent of the time.

“I just feel like it’s what’s best for the team right now,” said Jones of the rotation. “Coach Porter has done a good job of rotating us out there, trying to keep us around the same numbers. It’s not going to happen because drives vary and we rotate on series. Keeping us fresh and allowing us to rotate is what’s best for the team and it’s what all of us embrace.”

With Harrison sitting out last Sunday’s 30-9 win over Cleveland, Jones got a chance to play a bigger role and rotate less. He played two-thirds of the defensive snaps and responded with two tackles, half a sack and a fumble recovery. He just missed on another sack when quarterback Johnny Manziel slipped out of his grasp and scrambled 11 yards.

It doesn’t sound like much until you consider he was working against Cleveland’s All-Pro left tackle Joe Thomas, a player who has given Harrison fits even in his prime.

“I felt like I had some good rushes. I missed one dramatically,” Jones said. “It’s just something I’ve got to work on and improve on.

“I give Joe the utmost respect. He’s been a tough guy since I’ve been here. I think I had some pretty good rushes. I wouldn’t say (it’s a) confidence builder, but I’ve got something to build off of.”

It was the kind of disruptive play the Steelers hoped for out of Jones when they selected him in the first round of the 2013 draft.

Jones struggled in his rookie season, eventually losing a starting job to Jason Worilds. In his second season, a wrist injury at Carolina cost him the majority of the season.

His five career sacks aren’t what fans expected from a player who led all FCS teams in 2012 with 14.5 sacks while being voted the SEC Defensive Player of the Year.

The Steelers changed responsibilities for the outside linebackers. In previous years, the defensive line was asked to take on blockers to allow the linebackers to make the plays; now the line is getting upfield at the snap, leaving the linebackers to fend for themselves with offensive tackles more often.

As a result, the team’s sacks are up – Pittsburgh ranks 4th in the NFL with 28 – but its outside linebackers combined for just 10.

“Everybody wants their individual stats. But you also want to do what you can to get out of stadiums with wins,” said Jones. “That’s not what’s going on right now. Our coach builds our game plan around the team. It’s not like one guy is standing out. Everybody has to do their job. That’s our main focus and that’s how we’re going to play it.”

Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger leads the NFL in yards per pass attempt at 8.94. … Jones’ two fumble recoveries is tied for second in the league. … The Steelers faced five teams in the top 10 in points per game in their first 10 games. They face just one in their final six games. Pittsburgh ranks fifth in the league allowing 19.1 points per game.