The Steelers have used back-to-back first-round picks on tackles, aiming at a long-term foundation. The team, however, is believed to have rated Troy Fautanu as a higher-end prospect compared to Broderick Jones. That assessment looks to have been reflected during training camp.
Fautanu is currently battling an MCL sprain, but he is expected back for the Steelers’ regular-season opener. When Fautanu returns, it appears he will do so as a starter. The No. 20 overall pick has already done enough to be considered the team’s first-string right tackle, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac.
This quick anointment represents an important development for the Steelers, who moved on from multiyear RT Chukwuma Okorafor this offseason. The team had benched Okorafor to install Jones at RT midway through last season. Jones kicked over to left tackle this offseason but is back on the right side, per Dulac, while Fautanu is on the mend.
Although the Steelers are transitioning away from Dan Moore Jr. as a starter, Dulac adds the 2025 free agent-to-be will eventually compete for the LT job with Jones. The latter held that position for the past three years, but his inconsistent play helped lead to the Steelers prioritizing tackles over the past two drafts.
Moore held off Jones for the LT job last year, but Pro Football Focus graded him outside the top 60 among tackles. The advanced metrics site has never viewed the former fourth-round pick as a top-50 tackle, and Dulac indeed indicates Jones probably has the edge. Moore as a swingman would stand to hurt his 2025 FA market, but young tackles with extensive starting experience are not regularly available. The 49-game starter also would stand to be an important depth piece — assuming Jones and Fautanu are indeed Pittsburgh’s first-string tackles — this season.
Fautanu came into camp in a backup role, though it has not taken much time for the Steelers to decide the Washington product is ready. Fautanu did allow two sacks in his preseason debut, which the MCL injury shortened, but the team has evidently seen enough during practice to make this early call. Now, the Steelers will wait until the point it can place its preferred tackles back on the field together.
Dan Moore is a prime trade candidate in the coming weeks
Or days, for that matter
Given that Fautanu is banged up and a rookie and that Jones is switching sides and pretty inexperienced (he only even started one season in college), I’d think they would prefer to keep him around one more year, unless they really need to shave cap space for Aiyuk.
Who out of Tyler Beach, Dylan Cook, Devery Henderson, or Anderson Hardy do you prefer to Moore as the third offensive tackle? I considered adding fictional names to the list for fun but the real life guys on their 90 man roster are just as insignificant anyway.
That’s value, but if, say, the Patriots offer a fourth or fifth rounder for Moore, do you take it? What if it’s lower-say, a sixth? That could be a tough question at that price.
Why does tomlin keep going back to moore…he’s always getting beat…always back pedaling and getting turned around in circles…I agree with figs…he will be gone by this time next week
I dunno. I kind of thought he’d be thrown into a deal for Aiyuk
But at this point, I’m thinking Aiyuk manipulated this situation to stay in SF with a nice contract.