Troy Fautanu comes into the NFL with more experience than Broderick Jones, but does that mean he will play sooner? The 14th-overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, Jones didn’t crack the starting lineup until Week 9. He lost the starting left tackle job to incumbent Dan Moore Jr.
And Moore could also potentially stand in Fautanu’s way, one way or another, if he doesn’t stand in his own. The Steelers want to move Jones from right to left, but that’s contingent upon Fautanu taking over on the right. A college left tackle, he is re-learning the position now, not without growing pains. And that leaves the door open for him to begin his rookie season on the bench, at least initially.
Asked about how likely he believes the chances are of Troy Fautanu starting immediately, Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said on 93.7 The Fan recently, “I think about 58 percent. There’s a chance that Dan Moore [Jr.] could hold him off Week 1. We saw that last year with Jones”.
“I think Fautanu will win the job by Week 1”, he did add. “I won’t be stunned if he doesn’t, but by the bye week, by midseason? Yeah, I’d be pretty surprised if Dan Moore is still in there. They didn’t draft this guy to sit his entire rookie season”.
The Steelers drafted Troy Fautanu out of Washington with the 20th-overall pick in April, in case you managed to forget. Some speculated he could better fit as a guard in the NFL, but Pittsburgh was emphatic that he is a tackle.
They also made it plainly obvious that they expect him to play right tackle and Jones left tackle. Both played left tackle in college, but Fautanu is the more experienced player overall and also played right tackle earlier.
But Fautanu is now adjusting to the jump from college to the NFL and playing a different position. That additional obstacle will complicate his path to immediate playing time. He rightfully remains the favorite to win the starting job, but I think it will be closer than many anticipate.
I think the biggest variable is what the Steelers do with Dan Moore. Do they commit to Jones’ move to the left side come hell or high water and tell Moore to get comfortable on the right side? Or do they leave open the possibility of Jones staying at right tackle if Fautanu isn’t ready?
I’m sure the Steelers want to avoid that scenario, but fans need to understand the coaches’ thinking. They like Moore and think he is a good player, even if they believe they can upgrade him. Troy Fautanu is going to start relatively early in his career. I agree that there’s a reasonable chance it’s not right away, however, even if it is more likely than not.
