The Pittsburgh Steelers revamped their offensive line through the draft with the additions of Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick, and both Fautanu and Frazier, Pittsburgh’s first two picks, are expected to start. Dan Moore Jr., who has started all 49 games he’s played in with the Steelers, thinks that the blend of veterans with a lot of experience and young guys bringing energy could make the Steelers line a “special group” in 2024.
“I think we have a lot of potential. We got some older vets with some experience. And really not even older vets. When you look at it, guys are still really young in terms of playing years, just experience obviously so much farther along. And then with young guys coming in, bringing energy, and obviously we’re a super talented room, so I think we definitely can be a special group this year,” Moore said via video posted to the team’s YouTube channel.
The Steelers line has been steadily improving over the past few seasons, with James Daniels, Isaac Seumalo and Broderick Jones three starters who have been acquired since the 2022 offseason. Drafting Fautanu and Frazier should shore up Pittsburgh’s hole at center and offensive tackle, where Moore has struggled a little bit over the past two seasons.
Moore might get too much unfair criticism, but it’s clear that the team felt an upgrade was necessary by drafting Fautanu in the first round. But despite complaining about potentially losing his job to a rookie, Moore has seemed to embrace a mentor role just as he did with Jones last season when it seemed as if it would be his job on the line. Jones ultimately ended up replacing Chukwuma Okorafor full-time in Week 9.
The line should certainly be an upgrade over where the Steelers have been in recent years. But with a line that could start two rookies, it’s tough to really say that it could be a special group this early in the offseason. Obviously, Moore has seen the interworkings of the group and he’s apart of the offensive line room, so he wants to hype it up, and it’s obviously a good thing that he’s positive about what the group can do. But a line that ranks in the upper half of the NFL is a good start, and the Steelers certainly have the pieces in place for that to happen.
It should be a group that excels with run blocking, and that should open up the door for Arthur Smith to get creative and unleash Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris. It’s going to be a lot of fun to watch the Steelers this season if the offensive line can live up to expectations.
