Personal offensive line coach Duke Manyweather recently went on 93.7 The Fan with Joe Starkey and Ron Cook and talked about his experiences working with Steelers second-year offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr.
“One of the things that I really liked about Dan, just working with him pre-draft and then working with him even currently in the offseason and even during check-ins during the season was that he always knew the areas and opportunities he needed to get better in,” Manyweather said. “He’s a guy that’s going to ask the right question and that he’s able to replicate, once you show him something, he’s very coachable. I think with that, that those type of characteristics are very coachable.”
Moore Jr. started immediately last season for Pittsburgh after being selected in the fourth round out of Texas A&M. He showed flashes of being a solid starter as a rookie, and he improved throughout the course of the season after struggling a lot in the early going. The Steelers obviously believe in Moore as well, as they penciled him in as the starter Week One and moved Chukwuma Okorafor to right tackle after he was largely expected to start on the left side to accommodate Moore. Hearing about his football IQ and coachability from Manyweather definitely helps understand why Moore improved and why the Steelers had so much belief in him. It’s also reason to expect further improvement this season and in future years.
Manyweather said him and Moore worked on his hand usage, playing with a firmer outside shoulder and winning with his feet this offseason. If Moore can improve those skills, he can turn himself into an above-average starting tackle and become a guy the Steelers can rely on to start at the position for years to come. Moore likely won’t ever become a perennial Pro Bowler or All-Pro, but continued improvement to become a top-15 or even top-10 offensive tackle would be massive for Pittsburgh.
There’s no doubt that Moore knows he needs to improve from his rookie season, even with the improvement he did show later in the season. Pittsburgh’s offensive line as a whole should be improved with the additions of James Daniels and Mason Cole, along with a healthier Kevin Dotson. If Moore can step up this year, that would be massive for the Steelers and their hopes. With a new quarterback likely under center, the Steelers will want to keep him protected and upright and will need improvement across the board. Moore being able to refine his technique and become a stronger player so he doesn’t get beat on bull rushes by edge rushers as often as he did last year would be big for his development at this stage of his career. Moore’s development will be something to look for as the season underway.
