Dan Moore Jr.’s Path In 2023 and Beyond
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire via USA TODAY Sports
When the Pittsburgh Steelers selected Broderick Jones 14th overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, it seemed to spell doom for Dan Moore Jr.’s days as a starter. Moore, a Texas A&M standout, has started 34 total games in his first two seasons, including the team’s one-and-done appearance in the playoffs to cap off 2021. But this summer Moore showed up looking different. He made it a key point to gain muscle, and it’s translating into results thus far. The word out of OTAs and minicamp was a that he’s looked quite impressive and isn’t willing to give up the job to Jones just yet.
It feels inevitable that the recent first-rounder will eventually start for the Steelers in 2023. That wouldn’t necessarily mean the end for Moore, though. The reliable lineman would become an exceptional backup tackle with plenty of starting experience. He’s seen some snaps this summer at right tackle, and he acknowledged the difficult adjustment.
While Moore may not push Chukwuma Okorafor for the right-tackle job, this learning experience could help him down the road – next summer, to be exact. Okorafor signed a three-year, $29.5 million extension last off-season. It was an eye-opening number for a guy who hasn’t put up a star-caliber season yet. He now enters the second season of that extension and, while he is above average, the Steelers are paying him to be more than that. What does this mean for Pittsburgh’s O-line?
Well, this could all open the door for the team moving on from Okorafor after the 2023 campaign. The final year of his deal is set to incur a cap hit of just under $12 million. If they were to release him, they would save just over $8 million, according to Spotrac (https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/chukwuma-okorafor-25191/) . That would allow Moore to possibly transition to right tackle as he nears the end of his rookie contract. That’s not to say position changes are easy, particularly along the offensive line.
“It’s weird. It’s like wiping your butt with the other hand. It’s hard, but I’m getting the [hang] of it. It’ll come. A lot of people think switching sides is super easy. When you have so many snaps on one side, and now you’re getting asked to move to a different side, that’s not the easiest thing to do. [It’s] definitely foreign to me, but it will definitely come,” Moore said when speaking to reporters a few weeks ago.
This colorful metaphor shows that he has a ways to go before he becomes a legitimate option to start at right tackle. Offensive line coach Pat Meyer enters his second season in his position, and he did an admirable job in 2022. As a whole, the offensive line vastly overperformed expectations and surprised some people. Many expected the unit to be one of the worst in football, but free-agent additions Mason Cole and James Daniels stabilized the group.
With some coaching from Meyer and overall hard work, it’s possible that Moore makes that switch. Again, the writing seems to be on the wall for him in 2023. He will likely be a swing tackle for Pittsburgh, which means he will step in if either Jones or Okorafor gets hurt.
If the front office were to release Okorafor next offseason, they would certainly bring in some competition at right tackle. For now, they’ve shown zero fear in free agency and the draft. Without too many obvious future needs, they could invest heavily in the right tackle position.
Still, there is still a path for Moore in Pittsburgh. Next year’s free-agent tackle class, specifically the right side, looks quite bleak. Right tackles are considered less important than left tackles, especially when your franchise quarterback is a right-handed thrower. On the flip side, the 2024 draft class looks loaded at offensive tackle, specifically Notre Dame’s Joe Alt and Penn State’s Olu Fashanu.
Another factor to consider is that Moore is under contract for just two more years. That means the team would have to give him a new contract in 2025, if they wanted to keep him around, the deal would probably be somewhat similar to Okorafor’s. While the front office did well in the continued renovation of the offensive line this offseason, there is still room for improvement.
Jones will be expected to be that franchise guy at left tackle, as the team felt confident enough to give up draft capital to move up for him. Beyond that, though, the team’s future at right tackle seems a bit up in the air, as they’ll have to decide on the futures of Dan Moore Jr. and Chukwuma Okorafor. For Moore, while many seem to be counting him out, there is still a path for him to remain in Pittsburgh beyond 2024.
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