The Pittsburgh Steelers did their best to patch the holes in the offensive line this past offseason, but one big weakness still remains.
All summer, the offensive line of the Pittsburgh Steelers looked like it was going to be a major issue for the team this year. Remarkably, this unit has not only held their own through the first three games of the 2022 season, but they’ve actually performed pretty well on the surface. However, it’s clear that one weakness still remains.
While a single offensive lineman is hardly the issue the Steelers offense is struggling (Matt Canada and Mitch Trubisky have plenty to do with that), I would be remiss if I didn’t draw some attention to one in particular. I have watched each of the first three Steelers games multiple times at this point and something has been very clear to me so far: Dan Moore is by far the weakest link of the group.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Moore has had his moments. I have cut up some film of a few really good run fits where he would wash his man out of the play. Likewise, he has been respected as a pass protector at times. However, Moore is clearly the most inconsistent of the five starting offensive linemen for the Steelers, and at times, he can look downright bad.
I’ve heard many Steelers fans make the argument that Moore shut down Myles Garrett against the Browns. This really was not the case. While Garrett was contained from a statistical standpoint (2 tackles, 0 sacks), he generated quick pressure at times and forced Trubisky to bail on the play. In fact, Moore was lifted off the ground and tossed to the side on more than one occasion. We also must consider that the Steelers used Najee Harris to help chip on Garrett often.
While Moore might have taken a step up from the unpolished rookie we saw in 2021, the three-game sample still isn’t ideal. So far, Dan Moore has graded out as the 44th-ranked offensive tackle among 69 qualifying players. His rank in true pass sets is even worse.
Steelers must target LT in the 2023 NFL Draft
The Steelers tried to get by with a patchwork job, and in some ways, it seems to be working. However, left tackle is just too valuable of a position to throw a fourth-round pick out there and expect him to be on par with the top left tackles in the league. Unless Dan Moore is able to make major strides by the end of the 2022 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers strongly need to consider targeting an offensive tackle in the first round.
This is something that the team clearly did not like doing under the direction of Kevin Colbert. The Steelers haven’t sniffed an offensive tackle in the first round of the NFL Draft since taking Jamain Stephens in 1996 — a few years before Colbert even arrived on the scene.
In today’s heavy passing league that depends on a great pocket for the quarterback to buy time and make plays down the field, this outdated draft philosophy needs to change. Though I don’t think Moore is the biggest detriment on the team at the moment, the value of finding a great left tackle grossly outweighs finding an off-ball linebacker or even a cornerback of equal quality.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need to make sure that they give Kenny Pickett every opportunity possible to succeed. I am satisfied with the play of the offensive line so far, but it’s easy to see that Dan Moore is currently the weak link. He needs to improve quickly or the Steelers should be targeting a left tackle next offseason.