After resigning OT Chukwuma Okorafor soon after free agency opened in March, the Pittsburgh did not address the position during the 2022 NFL Draft, and their only signing at the position was OT Trent Scott, who has only started over five games in a season one time. That means that OT Dan Moore Jr., who started 16 regular season and one playoff game for the Steelers last year, is more than likely to retain his spot at LT. Moore told TribLive’s Chris Adamski that not bringing in another significant outside addition shows him that the Steelers’ coaching staff has confidence in his abilities.
“I do,” Moore said about him believing the staff has confidence in him. “But at the same time you got to keep working. Obviously I came in and won a job, so somebody can easily come in and do that so I have to keep working.”
Moore is most likely to be pushed for his starting job by Scott, as he’s started 19 games through four seasons in his career. However, given that Moore’s job wasn’t threatened much last season by Joe Haeg, it’s unlikely his job will really be at risk. Still, it’s good to hear that he has the attitude that he has to keep working to improve his game. We know he’s been working with offensive line guru Duke Manyweather this offseason, and Manyweather praised Moore’s coachability and ability to know what he needs to improve. The Steelers’ offensive line needs to be better than last year, and Moore’s continued improvement will be key to that. He showed improvement in the second half of the season last year after a bit of a rough start, but Pittsburgh clearly has faith in him, evidenced by the fact they started him every game he was available.
With a year of starting experience under his belt, Moore knows what it takes to be a starter in this league. It’s a big adjustment to the league from college to the NFL, but Moore is now acclimated and will be familiar with what a traditional offseason entails. With OTAs already underway, Moore is more than likely working on the new skills he’s learned throughout the offseason, and applying them to become a better player to prove that he can be the starter of the future in Pittsburgh.
Omar Khan said in his interview on the Jed Hughes Podcast that guys who protect the quarterback are high on the list of what he looks for in a player, and Moore is surely aware that if he struggles, the Steelers won’t hesitate to make a move. This year will be key for Moore’s development and to see what he can potentially be in the future, and it’s clear that he’s aware of it.
