Dan Moore still has a future as a Steelers starting lineman

The Steelers will certainly be shuffling their offensive line around in the offseason, and Dan Moore really should switch sides.

The Steelers offensive line has taken some steps forward in recent weeks. While still not an elite unit, the group has become a sound run-blocking force and has aided in the trio of wins the team has had since the bye week. Despite these improvements, the team still needs to make some significant changes to this group for the 2023 season.

While there are a lot of fans that want to see the entire line overhauled, that is both a major overreaction and an unrealistic expectation. The laziest argument fans have is that the offensive line is the crux of every issue on the team. Bad running or passing game? It’s the line’s fault. Poor play calling? The line stinks. Did the defense struggle? They wouldn’t have if the line was better. And so on it goes.

While the line is deserving of some blame, there have been some highlights, mostly centered on the two free agents the team brought in last year. That leaves three positions up in the air and replacing all three with brand-new quality players is a tall task.

Dan Moore still has value for the Steelers

One of the more detested Steelers has been left tackle Dan Moore. The fourth-round pick from a year before has been inconsistent, and when he has been off, the results have been hard to watch. Many are done with him altogether, but I believe he still has value to this team. That said, he really needs to shift to the right side of the line.

While we no longer live in the age where right tackles don’t need to pass-protect, the right side tends to be more run-blocking focused. Moore’s strength is his ability to run block, so a move to the right side is a natural one. He’s still cheap as well, so he won’t cost much as a potential starter.

He would also be playing next to James Daniels, who has far and away been the Steelers best lineman this season. Kevin Dotson, meanwhile, has been the weak link in the group. Moore would benefit from having a stronger running mate next to him.

This would also alleviate some cap space, as Chukwuma Okorafor could be released next season if the team moved forward with Moore at right tackle. Okorafor has been a more consistent player, but his run blocking is worse and he has hit his ceiling as a tackle. Cutting him also nets the team roughly seven million dollars more in cap space.

The Steelers can’t replace every position on the line

While on paper finding three new starters on the line doesn’t sound like a lot, it isn’t reasonable to expect this team to do that. It would be one thing if that was the only issue, but the receiver room needs to be revamped and the defense is riddled with holes. The team would either have to cut corners to make things work or leave some positions as is.

If you slot Moore in at right tackle, you essentially have two positions that need to be added to, left tackle and guard. This allows the team to target needs elsewhere while still investing back into the line.

Moore shouldn’t be given the right tackle job either. A mid-round pick or a budget free agent would be a logical addition to provide competition to the room. One becomes the right tackle while the other becomes the swing tackle. That said, you aren’t using a lot of capital here, which means other needs can be addressed.

While Moore is far from an elite player, he has continued to show growth this season and has become an excellent run blocker. A shift to the right side won’t mean dominant play, but he could be serviceable there for a year or two while other needs are addressed. A move to the right side seems like a great fit for him this season.