At the start of OTAs, offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. said he was fine playing wherever the team wanted him. Today, that included time at right tackle. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo, Moore logged time on the right side of the Steelers’ offensive line today, something he hasn’t done since his rookie year.
As Fittipaldo suggests, Moore could end up in a swing tackle role as the team’s backup at the left and right spot. With first-round pick Broderick Jones threatening to take his job and Chukwuma Okorafor entrenched on the right side, Moore could go from blindside protector to quality depth piece. It’s not clear how many reps was “some” but it’s an expected move that will likely continue throughout the summer.
Throughout nearly all of his college and NFL career, Moore has been a starting left tackle. He played a bit of right tackle early in his Texas A&M career before shifting over and being the Aggies’ left tackle throughout college. Drafted by the Steelers in 2021, Moore also saw a handful of reps on the right side during his first training camp, a time when the team planned on playing Okorafor at left tackle and OT Zach Banner, returning from a torn ACL, at right tackle. But Banner suffered a setback and Moore, looking uncomfortable on the right side, flipped with Okorafor for the season.
Getting Moore right tackle reps early in the process is important. He’ll have to adjust his feet, his punch, and flip everything in his mind to the right side. While that’s a big adjustment, Moore is regarded as a hard worker with a strong football IQ and should be able to make the switch. His run blocking could even be a bigger asset on the right side.
Still, there’s no guarantee Moore is the Week One backup. Jones will need to win the job and has some obstacles along the way. He’s a raw, one-year college starter who will need to learn OL Coach Pat Meyer’s system, an adjustment most of the Steelers’ 2022 line initially struggled with. Should Jones become the Week One backup, he has some right tackle experience but spent more time on the left side throughout his Georgia career.
