Dan Moore Jr.

Patriots Pursued LT Dan Moore Jr.

March 20th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite entering the offseason with a runaway lead in cap space, the Patriots have not added a starting left tackle yet. The draft may become New England’s avenue to address this high-level need, but the team does look to have contributed to framing a pricey market the Titans closed.

Dan Moore Jr. led the way on the tackle front this year, outdoing Ronnie Stanley, Alaric Jackson and Cam Robinson in free agency thanks to his four-year, $82MM Titans contract. This monster deal did not feature an inflated early report or any “up to” misdirection; it cost the Titans a true $82MM ($42.5MM guaranteed at signing) to land the four-year Steelers LT.

Not viewed as an upper-echelon player at the position, PFR’s No. 13 free agent cashed in due to a combination of age (26), experience (66 career starts) and durability (two missed games). Moore also may have scored the deal he did because of Patriots market participation. The Patriots launched what sounds like an aggressive pursuit of Moore, per SI.com’s Albert Breer, only to stand down as the bidding soared.

Mike Vrabel spoke of bolstering his lines this offseason, but the Pats did not opt to stay in the Moore and Drew Dalman markets to the end. A New England Dalman pursuit ended with the ex-Atlanta starter signing with Chicago (three years, $42MM). The Patriots have answered some of their O-line questions, but neither came with a high price tag. The Pats added Morgan Moses on a three-year, $24MM deal that includes $11MM at signing. Despite going into his age-34 season, the veteran right tackle will see $4.5MM of his $6.5MM 2026 base salary already guaranteed, Breer adds.

Moore secured $50MM through the first two years of his Titans deal, Breer adds. Tennessee and New England reside in similar positions, payroll-wise, as the Titans have a rookie QB contract (Will Levis‘). They also may be set to restart that clock by drafting Cam Ward first overall. The Patriots took Drake Maye at No. 3 last year and have him under rookie-deal control through at least 2026. But the team is still searching for its biggest O-line piece, as only an aging Moses and a Vikings cap casualty (center Garrett Bradbury) are en route to help.

With the open market as an advantage for Moore, he managed to go from oft-scrutinized Steelers option to receiving the fifth-highest full guarantee number among LTs. In terms of total guarantees, Moore’s $50MM trails only Christian Darrisaw, Andrew Thomas and Laremy Tunsil. Moore’s resume can certainly open the door to overpay criticisms, but as the Titans prepare to kick JC Latham back to his primary college position (RT), the retooling AFC South team checked a big need off its list.

Beyond their O-line contracts, we have a few more Pats financials to pass along. New backup quarterback Josh Dobbs will be tied to a two-year, $8MM deal. The Pats, however, did not guarantee anything beyond Year 1, per KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson. The team could move on for a $1.1MM dead money charge in 2026. Though, the Pats’ openness to trading Joe Milton this offseason points to a multiyear Dobbs partnership.

Elsewhere on the Pats’ payroll, Mack Hollins‘ deal checks in at two years and $8.4MM. The journeyman WR will see $3.5MM guaranteed at signing, per OverTheCap. Like Dobbs, no Hollins money is guaranteed beyond Year 1. A $1MM receptions incentive is in place, however, per Wilson. Safety Jaylinn Hawkins‘ agreement to stay in Foxborough is a one-year, $1.8MM pact, ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss tweets. Hawkins, who started seven Pats games last season, will see $650K guaranteed at signing.

Titans To Add LT Dan Moore Jr.

March 10th, 2025 at 12:07pm CST by Sam Robinson

The left tackle market is moving. After the Rams and Ravens respectively re-signed their options, the Chiefs took Jaylon Moore off the market. Now, the Titans are adding Dan Moore Jr.

Moore agreed to a four-year, $82MM deal, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported during a TV appearance. The four-year Steelers LT will receive $50MM guaranteed. This marks a massive agreement for Moore, whom the Steelers had effectively informed would not be back thanks to back-to-back first-round tackle draft choices.

PFR’s No. 13 overall free agent, Moore will outdo Stanley’s $20MM-per-year number. The Titans will bet big on a player who allowed the NFL’s most sacks (12) last season. Some of that most likely was due to Moore blocking for two sack-prone QBs — in Justin Fields and Russell Wilson — but the Titans are bringing in Moore to play on a line featuring two first-round picks (Peter Skoronski, JC Latham) and high-priced center Lloyd Cushenberry.

Pro Football Focus has never been high on Moore, ranking the former fourth-round pick outside the top 40 at tackle in each of his seasons. But Moore thwarted challenges to his Pittsburgh blindside job in each of the past two years. The Steelers are still moving Broderick Jones to left tackle, with Troy Fautanu slated to man the right side.

A 66-game starter, Moore is going into his age-27 season. With Jackson off the market, the Titans have decided on Moore over a more proven option in Cam Robinson, who will turn 30 this year. This move would appear to mean Tennessee is readying to move Latham from left to right tackle. Latham had ended his college career at RT but became one of the many rookie tackles to change sides last season. PFF graded Latham 56th among tackles in 2024.

The Titans’ 2025 starting quarterback is not yet known, but it appears it will be Moore guarding his blindside. The Titans have four locked-in starters up front, with only their right guard position up for grabs. And, as the Steelers made it clear Moore would be a one-contract player, the Texas A&M alum will land on his feet.

Patriots Targeting Ronnie Stanley, Jamien Sherwood; Team Has “Kicked Tires” On D.K. Metcalf

March 2nd, 2025 at 8:47am CST by Rory Parks

The Patriots are known to be targeting additions to the offensive and defensive lines this offseason, and new head coach Mike Vrabel has indicated his club will be active in free agency (after all, New England does have nearly $130MM in cap space, the most in the league by a comfortable margin). To that end, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports the Pats will aggressively pursue Ravens left tackle Ronnie Stanley should Stanley hit the open market.

Andrew Callahan and Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald also hear that Stanley is one of New England’s top targets. Offensive line play was a major issue for the team in 2024, as the Pats finished 31st in Pro Football Focus’ metrics with respect to pass protection and last in run blocking. Stanley had struggled with injuries in recent years, and even when he was on the field, he did not look like the same player that earned a First Team All-Pro nod in 2019. After being forced to accept a $7.5MM pay cut in advance of the 2024 season, Stanley turned in a terrific platform campaign, landing his second Pro Bowl bid and playing a full complement of games for the first time in his career.

Naturally, the Ravens want Stanley back and have prioritized a new contract for him. However, the franchise tag is not considered as an option because of how it would hinder a team that is just outside the bottom-10 in cap room and because the $23.4MM tag number for O-linemen would set the floor in negotiations above where Baltimore is willing to go. New England reportedly values Stanley’s leadership and experience in big games in addition to his raw ability, and if Stanley and the Ravens cannot come to terms before the onset of free agency, Vrabel & Co. appear ready to pounce.

If their Stanley pursuit is unsuccessful, Callahan and Kyed say the Patriots are nonetheless comfortable with the Steelers’ Dan Moore or the Vikings’ Cam Robinson – a New England trade target at the 2024 deadline – as fallback plans (the team also had interest in the Rams’ Alaric Jackson before he re-upped with Los Angeles). And, even if they are able to acquire an established OT, the Pats will presumably not be done in their search for better protection for QB Drake Maye and their rushing attack

LSU OT Will Campbell is a real possibility for the Patriots’ No. 4 overall selection in April’s draft, with league evaluators seeing Campbell or Michigan DT Mason Graham as the most likely candidates for the pick. If QB-needy teams select both Cam Ward and Shedeur Sanders before New England is on the clock, though, the Pats will have the opportunity to take one of the top non-QBs in the 2025 class (Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter or Colorado cornerback/wide receiver Travis Hunter).

Of that duo, Hunter is viewed as the more likely to fall to No. 4. As opposed to Carter, Hunter would not address the Pats’ top goal of bolstering their trenches, but beyond OL and DL help, the Boston Herald sees cornerback, wide receiver, and linebacker as the next positions of priority. Regardless of whether New England sees Hunter as a CB or wideout, the two-way blue-chipper would be a major get.

With respect to the linebacker need, the Patriots reportedly “covet” Jets LB Jamien Sherwood, particularly since he exhibits the speed and physicality that Vrabel is hoping to inject into his front seven. The 2021 fifth-rounder was mostly quiet through his first three professional seasons before bursting onto the scene in a big way in his walk year, starting 16 of New York’s 17 games while tallying 158 total tackles – including a league-leading 98 solo stops – and 10 tackles for loss while finishing as PFF’s 18th-best LB. The Jets and Sherwood have mutual interest in an extension, though it appears the Pats are eyeing the situation closely.

As for the WR position, there were several reports connecting the Patriots to Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins this offseason. Those reports were published before it became clear Cincinnati was prepared to put the franchise tag on Higgins for a second time. While a tag presumably remains a possibility, Dianna Russini of The Athletic (subscription required) reports the team has not told Higgins whether he will actually receive the tag before Tuesday’s deadline.

Nonetheless, sources tell Callahan and Kyed that Higgins will not be available (either as an FA or as a trade candidate). Should the Bengals change their mind on that front, the Patriots would be back in the mix, despite some conflicting reports to the contrary.

It has been said that the Patriots would explore trades for a WR, though the Boston Herald believes the team would prefer to address their need for a proven pass-catcher through free agency to avoid surrendering premium draft capital. The Bucs’ Chris Godwin would be a top target if Tampa Bay allows him to test the free agent waters, and on the trade front, the Pats have reportedly “kicked the tires” on the Seahawks’ D.K. Metcalf. It is presently unclear if those discussions gained any traction.

Given New England’s areas of need, it is not surprising that Callahan and Kyed – whose piece is well-worth a read for Pats fans in particular given its scope and comprehensiveness – name Eagles DT Milton Williams and 49ers CB Charvarius Ward as several of New England’s other top FA targets.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Bengals, Conklin

December 11th, 2024 at 1:36pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite their wide receiver depth being an issue throughout this season, the Steelers managed a two-score win over the Browns without George Pickens. The standout Pittsburgh pass catcher suffered a hamstring injury doing post-practice work late last week, and the Steelers exercised caution by holding him out. That strategy is expected to continue against the Eagles in Week 14, with Mike Tomlin pointing to another absence for Pickens. The third-year wideout, who had never missed a game as a pro until Sunday, is battling a grade 2 hamstring strain, per the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac. Tomlin said this injury has proven to be “a little more significant” than the team initially believed, and this comes at a bad time for the AFC North leaders.

The Steelers face the Ravens in Week 15 and Chiefs in Week 16, those matchups coming on short weeks. While Pittsburgh is two weeks from its Christmas Day matchup with Kansas City, Pickens’ availability for the Baltimore rematch should probably be considered up in the air. The Steelers traded for Mike Williams and have seen flashes, most notably a game-winning TD grab against the Commanders, but the team would be lacking against upper-crust competition if Pickens is sidelined.

Here is the latest from the AFC North:

Perhaps the NFL’s lead underachievers this season, the Bengals are 5-8. A team expected to return to Super Bowl contention has seen its defense crater. This franchise has proven conservative when it comes to many matters, and coaching is among them. As such, Zac Taylor is unlikely to be viewed as a hot-seat occupant, per ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano. This reaffirms the team’s October stance. Though, this certainly does not mean the Bengals will maintain their status quo throughout the coaching staff. DC Lou Anarumo should probably be viewed as a chopping-block candidate given how poorly the once-well-regarded coordinator’s unit has performed. But Taylor, who took over after 16 Marvin Lewis Cincinnati seasons, is believed to be safe. His contract runs through 2026.
Putting up MVP-caliber numbers (without the required record for consideration), Joe Burrow made some noise this week by indicating he will play a role in helping to push for the Bengals to re-sign Tee Higgins. The franchise-tagged wide receiver, who has been viewed as likely to leave in 2025, has said he would like to stay but did not offer much confidence he would re-sign. The Bengals cannot reengage on negotiations, which are not believed to have been serious this year, until season’s end. When the team does, new Higgins representation may be at the wheel. Rumblings have surfaced regarding a potential Higgins agency change, Graziano adds. Such a switch would inject an interesting variable into Higgins’ next round of negotiations. The Bengals hold exclusive negotiating rights with their WR2 until March 10.
Dan Moore Jr. has twice managed to fend off competition to keep the Steelers‘ left tackle job, doing so despite the team using first-round picks on tackles in back-to-back drafts. Troy Fautanu‘s injury did leave the team with fewer options, and Broderick Jones has continued to play right tackle this season. The plan remains for Jones to switch sides in 2025, when Moore is due for free agency. Though, Jones was rumored to be the team’s preferred LT this year. Moore is likely to depart in March, Dulac adds, as they have not shown an indication they are losing faith in Jones. Next year’s Pittsburgh tackle plan will be for their 2023 and ’24 first-rounders — Jones and Fautanu — to start, with veteran Steelers reporter Mark Kaboly leaving little doubt about the 2025 starters.
Two nonguaranteed years remain on Jack Conklin‘s contract, and the Browns — facing an unprecedented situation with Deshaun Watson — will need cap space. They will almost definitely look to Conklin’s deal, with The Athletic’s Zac Jackson noting the team will either restructure it or move it off the payroll via a post-June 1 cut. Conklin, 30, has returned from a second career ACL tear, coming back after missing 16 games last season and five this year. The quality starter’s injury history will factor into Cleveland’s 2025 decision.

AFC North Notes: Steelers, Powers, Wills

November 15th, 2024 at 3:36pm CST by Nikhil Mehta

The Steelers are not expected to re-sign offensive linemen Dan Moore and James Daniels after the 2024 season, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pat McAfee Show.

Moore is in the final year of his rookie contract with 58 career starts at left tackle for the Steelers, a solid return for the fourth-round pick used to draft him in 2021. However, he allowed at least seven sacks in each of his first three seasons, per Pro Football Focus (subscription required), and Pittsburgh used first-round draft picks on tackles in 2023 and 2024, signaling a desire to upgrade at the position. Broderick Jones and Troy Fautanu primarily played left tackle in college, giving the Steelers multiple options to take over on the blindside in 2025.

Daniels started just four games at guard this year before tearing his Achilles, which will likely end his tenure in Pittsburgh. Daniels signed a three-year, $26.5MM contract with the Steelers in 2022 and largely played well over the last three years. However, the seven-year veteran will be looking to cash in on the massive increase in the guard market. Pittsburgh may not be inclined to spend so much at guard after drafting Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick this past year, especially with T.J. Watt and George Pickens in line for extensions at more expensive positions.

Browns left tackle Jedrick Wills said on Monday that his recent benching “was pretty shocking,” per Cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot. “I made a business decision not to play after the Bengals game going into that Ravens game because I was injured,” explained Wills. He hyperextended his right knee on the first play against the Bengals in Week 7 and managed to finish the game but “couldn’t really bend” his knee the following day. He sat out Week 8 against the Ravens and was subsequently benched for Dawand Jones. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said that “business decision” was a “poor choice of words” by Wills, though it would not affect whether or not he would play again this year, per Cabot. Stefanski also hinted that Willis’ 2023 injury is still hampering him. “I wouldn’t categorize it as a setback,” said Stefanski, per The Athletic’s Zac Jackson. “It hasn’t recovered how quickly he would want it to…it’s been a tough rehab for him.” Wills opted for surgery last year to repair his torn MCL – in the same knee he hyperextended recently – and did not debut until Week 3 this year. Wills is currently in the final year of his rookie contract, and his health issues may complicate extension negotiations with the Browns.
Broncos left guard Ben Powers confirmed he didn’t receive an offer to re-sign with the Ravens when he hit free agency in 2023, according to Chris Thomasson of The Denver Gazette. “I didn’t hear from them,” said Powers, who signed with the Broncos on a four-year, $52MM deal and returned to Baltimore for the first time in Week 9. However, the sixth-year guard didn’t hold it against Baltimore, saying that he “kind of understood their situation. That was the offseason they were handling [Lamar Jackson‘s] contract, so I kind of anticipated it.”
Steelers offensive line coach Pat Meyer will be expected to develop his group of young blockers over the next few seasons as Pittsburgh figures out a long-term plan at quarterback. Meyer in his third year with the team after Shaun Sarrett was fired after the 2020 season and his successor, Adrian Klemm, left for Oregon before the end of 2021. His departure was related to tensions with then-offensive coordinator Matt Canada, per Kaboly. The Steelers then fired Canada in November 2023, the franchise’s first in-season coaching change since 1941.

Steelers Expected To Start Troy Fautanu At Right Tackle

August 13th, 2024 at 10:51am CST by Sam Robinson

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.

Troy Fautanu Likely To Enter Steelers Training Camp In Backup Role

June 19th, 2024 at 4:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

A few of this year’s first-round tackle draftees are being asked to change positions. Troy Fautanu had been rumored to be headed to right tackle, and the No. 20 overall pick confirmed that is where he expects the Steelers to slot him in his first NFL training camp.

Fautanu’s expected move to right tackle is part of an interesting plan for the Steelers, who are preparing to use a 2023 right tackle on the left side and pit two 2023 LTs against each other on the right side. After three years as the Steelers’ left tackle starter, Dan Moore Jr. is projected to switch sides to accommodate Broderick Jones‘ rumored LT move.

During Moore’s time at left tackle, the Steelers used back-to-back first-round picks to bolster the position. As the three-year starter heads into a contract year, he could be moving toward free agency from a backup role. That does not appear to be in the cards just yet.

Moore appeared far ahead of Fautanu during the offseason program, The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly notes, while adding the veteran’s lead should be expected due to the experience gap (subscription required). But Fautanu will need to unseat a 49-start player. Pittsburgh’s Moore plan has been rather complicated, as the incumbent LT remained in his blindside post during OTAs. But the expectation remains he will move to right tackle.

The Steelers are certainly grooming Fautanu to start opposite Jones, who manned the left side for Georgia in 2022 before replacing Chukwuma Okorafor at Pittsburgh’s RT midway through the season. Rumors about Jones pushing Moore last summer emerged, but the former fourth-round pick held off the high-end prospect. The Steelers are believed to have viewed Fautanu as a superior prospect to Jones, so it will be interesting to see if the rookie can mount a strong challenge once the pads come on.

Harshly assessing Moore’s pass protection, Pro Football Focus slotted the Texas A&M alum outside the top 60 among tackles last year. The advanced metrics site charged him with eight sacks allowed; among tackles who started full seasons, PFF rated Moore as the worst pass protector. With one of this era’s most sack-prone quarterbacks (Russell Wilson) likely to start, this sets up as a shaky combination.

Moore, 25, is most likely playing his final season in Pittsburgh. With free agency in sight, this profiles as a pivotal position battle. Moore’s experience edge will matter, of course, but the position change stands to negate that to some degree. He has all of five NFL snaps at RT.

The fifth tackle chosen this year, Fautanu checked in as the No. 11 overall prospect on Daniel Jeremiah’s NFL.com big board. Fautanu spent the past two seasons as a full-time starter at Washington, including a 2023 campaign where he earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors. He joins Joe Alt, JC Latham, Tyler Guyton, Taliese Fuaga and Graham Barton as first-round O-linemen set to change positions as rookies. Barton is moving from left tackle back to center; the others are flipping tackle spots.

As the Steelers’ Jones rookie-year plan showed, Moore beating out Fautanu in camp would not relegate the rookie to full-season backup duty. But Moore’s early lead here could also point to a developmental season for the team’s hopeful long-term RT.

Latest On Steelers’ Offensive Line

May 25th, 2024 at 2:44pm CST by Ely Allen

The Steelers offensive line in 2023 was pretty decent, allowing the ninth-least sacks in the NFL and ranking as the 13th-best rushing offense. Still, Pittsburgh opted to make a number of moves towards an upgrade on their offensive front for the 2024 season. In fact, the Steelers utilized their first two draft picks (and three of seven) this year on linemen, and all three could be in line to start as rookies.

The only position that lost a starter on the line this year was center. The team watched their starter of the last two seasons, Mason Cole, depart in free agency. Cole graded out as the league’s 29th-best center out of 36 graded players at the position last season, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required). They have a couple options to replace Cole, including veteran Nate Herbig. Herbig hasn’t played center much at the college or NFL level, but he has versatile experience all over the line and could be utilized there in a pinch. The favorite to start, though, is the second-round rookie out of West Virginia, Zach Frazier.

At guard things are a bit more interesting. Like Frazier, fourth-round rookie guard out of South Dakota State Mason McCormick is currently slotted to start on the depth chart of the team’s website. McCormick is listed as the starting left guard, presumably because that’s the only position he played in college. The team’s returning left guard, Isaac Seumalo, graded out as the team’s best offensive lineman in 2023, though, per PFF. So, unless the team benches their top returning lineman, Seumalo or McCormick will need to move over to the right side to compete with James Daniels. Seumalo has experience starting at right guard in the past, so it makes the most sense to move him over.

At tackle, the Steelers utilized their first-round pick to bring in Washington lineman Troy Fautanu. Many projected Fautanu’s skillset to fit best at guard or center at the NFL-level, though he spent most of his time at tackle during college in Seattle. Pittsburgh believes that he has the ability to stay at tackle and start in the NFL. Pundits predict that last year’s rookie first-round pick Broderick Jones will remain at right tackle, where he played in 2023, putting Fautanu at left tackle to replace Dan Moore Jr. as the starter. According to Mark Kaboly of The Athletic, though, Fautanu has spent the first three days of organized team activities at right tackle behind Jones.

Kaboly doesn’t think Fautanu will stay as the backup at right tackle, though. More likely, with OTAs serving as the ideal time to mold and learn. This experience is the perfect opportunity for Fautanu to learn both positions in the event that he may have to move over to the right side and fill in for an injured Jones. It’s not uncommon for offensive lineman to need time to develop, but the Steelers likely didn’t use their first two draft picks on players they didn’t intend to start.

Things are still extremely early. The rookies are still finding their footing, and a number of camp battles are sure to ensue. The team even has plenty of time to sign a veteran free agent if they deem it necessary. Still, Pittsburgh has the potential to serve as a rare occasion in which we see three rookies starting across the offensive line.

We last saw that in 2020 when the Dolphins started Austin Jackson, Robert Hunt, and Solomon Kindley (their first-, second-, and fourth-round picks, respectively) as rookies. That Miami team improved their record from 5-11 the previous year to 10-6 despite the youth across the line. The Steelers may be hoping for a similar level of improvement.

Latest On Steelers’ Battles At OT

August 11th, 2023 at 9:53pm CST by Ely Allen

Last weekend, we noted how the Steelers seemed to be prepping first-round rookie offensive tackle Broderick Jones for a starting role in training camp. Now, after the team’s first preseason game of 2023, it seems Jones has some ground to make up on the incumbent starters from last season.

Pittsburgh opened camp not only with Jones at left tackle in place of Dan Moore, who started at the position all last season, but also with Moore in the place of Chukwuma Okorafor at right tackle. Not only did it seem that Jones was set to start as a rookie, it appeared that he was about to push both of the prior year starters out of their positions.

Mark Kaboly of The Athletic was not having it. Kaboly delivered an extremely honest and realistic take after attending Steelers’ practice last Sunday. What he saw did not have him feeling confident about Jones lining up against Nick Bosa in Week 1, when the 49ers open the season in Pittsburgh. Kaboly gave the rookie some credit; the young man is a physical specimen playing at one of “the most unnatural” positions on offense.

It’s never a given that a rookie can come in and start during their first season, but the Steelers traded up in the first round to select an offensive tackle for the first time in 25 years. It would seem like a disappointment for Jones not to develop into a starter to open his rookie year, but it’s only important that he develops into a starter eventually. The preseason will be an important time to get Jones acclimated to the speed of the game at the NFL level, but rushing Jones into starting action could be detrimental to the team and Jones’s development.

Right now, Kaboly asserts that Moore, the incumbent starter on the blindside, currently looks better than Jones. He certainly should considering he has 34 NFL starts on his resume. Jones is still learning the ins and outs of playing one of the most challenging positions in the NFL. Moore’s got the experience, as does Okorafor, who’s started 52 games over his first five years in the league.

To start the preseason tonight, the Steelers trotted Moore and Okorafor out in their starting positions from last season on the first series of the game. The rest of the contest saw Jones getting his feet wet against NFL competition as the team’s left tackle. That sequence of events seems to support Kaboly’s assertion. It seems the Steelers feel better about Moore and Okorafor’s abilities to start right now, while Jones still needs a bit of seasoning.

Jones delivered a mixed bag in his first NFL action. For much of the appearance, he impressed against a second-team Buccaneers defense, eventually showing inconsistencies as the game wore him down. The results don’t matter too much, though, for now. It was just important for Jones to get out there and start getting comfortable at the position. Despite not starting his rookie year on the first team, his draft stock makes him the de facto tackle of the future in Pittsburgh.

With Jones expected to take over eventually, that makes this season crucial for Moore and Okorafor. Both linemen are under contact through the 2024 season and would be likely extension candidates in the coming offseason. According to another Kaboly take, though, Jones’s presumed place atop future depth charts makes it likely that only one of Moore or Okorafor will be chosen to extend their tenure in Pittsburgh. It will likely be a combination of who performs better this season and who fits best across from Jones that will decide the team’s other tackle of the future.

For now, though, it appears Moore and Okorafor will continue their stints as starters on the Steelers’ offensive line. It’s too early to rule Jones out to open the season as a starter, but it’s seeming more and more likely that he’ll be coming off the bench to start the year and will need to continue working to earn a starting role.

Steelers LT Dan Moore In Line To Retain Starting Role?

June 19th, 2023 at 1:13pm CST by Adam La Rose

An upgrade at offensive tackle was widely seen as a top draft priority for the Steelers this year, so it came as no surprise when they used their first-round selection (following a trade up the board) on Broderick Jones. That decision came with the expectation of a change on the blindside immediately taking place, but spring practices suggested otherwise.

However, incumbent Dan Moore has taken all of Pittsburgh’s first-team snaps so far this offseason, as noted by The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly (subscription required). Moore has started all 33 of his regular season appearances in two years with the Steelers since joining the team as a fourth-round pick. His level of play over that span has drawn underwhelming reviews from PFF along with plenty of criticism. However, the team’s coaching staff has been impressed dating back to the 2022 campaign.

“If you watched him from midseason last year to the end of the season, he’s improved as much as anybody I have ever been around,” offensive line coach Pat Meyer said while evaluating Moore, 24. “To me, he’s going to be lights out.”

The Texas A&M alum did take a step forward in terms of PFF ratings in 2022 compared to his rookie season, though his overall grade (62.4) leaves plenty to be desired. Moore was charged with seven sacks allowed last season, as was the case in 2021. That may provide Jones a window of opportunity to showcase his pass protection in training camp, but one of the downsides to his pre-draft evaluation was his lack of playing experience at Georgia.

As a result, Kaboly adds that the eventual transition from Moore to Jones at left tackle may not take place in 2023, or at least by the beginning of the campaign. Interestingly, the former has also spent time practicing as a right tackle, the spot he is likeliest to occupy once the latter becomes a first-teamer. The RT position currently belongs to Chukwuma Okorafor, as it has since 2020. Moore could very well find himself competing for the starting spot on that side, though the point at which that happens may be delayed relative to early expectations.

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