It couldn’t have felt great for Dan Moore Jr. to watch the Pittsburgh Steelers draft first-round tackles two years in a row. He managed to retain his starting job in 2023, but the writing is on the wall the second time around. There’s virtually no chance his future as a starter in this league resides in Pittsburgh. Until it doesn’t, however, he’s here to play, and here to help the young guys at the same time.
2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones credited Moore a year ago for taking him under his wing. Jones lost to Moore for the starting left tackle job to begin the season, but eventually took over the starting job on the right side toward the middle of the year. This year’s first-round pick, Troy Fautanu, said Moore immediately reached out to him. The veteran said he expects to treat this rookie the same as the last.
“Yeah. Speaking on a situation like that, I feel like it’s more of a character thing”, Moore said during OTAs yesterday, via the team’s website. “I feel like that’s just more of personality. I don’t see that changing this year, I see it being just the same way. If anything [Broderick Jones] will be a huge help, with him being in the same position as Troy. Him having fresh things on his brain from his rookie season that he can pitch in on. And then hopefully me being able to help them with the amount of games that I’ve played”.
Thus far, the Steelers haven’t committed to any hard-and-fast positions or roles for their tackles. Moore, Jones, and Fautanu will likely get plenty of snaps on both the left and right sides. Moore admits he still doesn’t feel comfortable on the right side, but he knows he may have to learn. Last year, he praised Jones for his ability to do so, and I’m sure will be similarly complimentary of Fautanu.
“I mean, the kid just got drafted. That’s probably the best moment of his life”, Moore said about why he reached out to Fautanu. “I remember that moment. I know that I would want to be welcomed. We are happy to help him. He’s gonna push a lot of people in this room. We’re gonna help him grow. I guess you could say that’s something that I try to do”.
The Steelers drafted Broderick Jones a year ago to be their starting left tackle. He would have been if he beat Moore out for the starting job, as they still had Chukwuma Okorafor then. With Moore holding down the job, however, he had to wait. The odds of him holding Fautanu back don’t feel as strong, though.
The team already began working Fautanu hard at right tackle, hoping he can win a starting job. If he can’t play there, then they figure they need to leave Jones there. Because even head coach Mike Tomlin admits Dan Moore Jr. is much better on the left side.
But can Moore survive one last push for his starting job to close out his rookie contract? What does his future look like? Will he be on the Steelers next year? Will he even be on the Steelers in November? It’s possible, if Jones and Fautanu are starting, that they look to trade him.
The best-case scenario for Moore is that Fautanu doesn’t look ready and Jones stays at right tackle. Then he gets to play out his rookie contract as a starting left tackle just as he hits unrestricted free agency. From a compensatory pick perspective, that works out the best for the Steelers as well, since it gives him the best odds of signing a lucrative contract.
