We didn't even make it to the official start of the NFL negotiation period before crap started hitting the fan. On Monday morning, rumors of Aaron Rodgers swirled around the Pittsburgh Steelers. Shortly after, the Denver Broncos screwed up the defensive tackle market by signing DJ Jones to an egregiously pricey deal. Now NFL Insiders are dropping contract figures for Dan Moore Jr.
On Monday, Jordan Schultz reported that Moore is drawing buzz from NFL teams. Schultz believes the Steelers' former left tackle and current free agent could earn a contract in the ballpark of $20 million per season.
For those who watched Moore closely over the past four years, this is an egregious number.
While Moore made strides in his fourth NFL season in 2024, the veteran quickly reverted to his old ways down the stretch as he struggled to keep notable pass rushers at bay. By the end of the season, Moore had earned a 67.2 overall grade from Pro Football Focus—good for 46th among offensive tackles.
Pittsburgh Steelers will gladly let Dan Moore Jr. walk away in free agency
The Pittsburgh Steelers value depth on the offensive line, but there isn't a chance that Dan Moore Jr. sticks around with a contract number anything close to what he's projected. Moore proved to be a solid selection as a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, but his sample of promising performances is too small to gamble on.
Meanwhile, Omar Khan and the new Steelers front office spent back-to-back first-round draft choices on offensive tackles Broderick Jones (2023) and Troy Fautanu (2024). Both tackles have their question marks. Jones' play has been sloppy in his first two seasons, while Fautanu suffered a season-ending knee injury after just one NFL game.
Regardless, the plan is for Jones and Fautanu to be the offensive tackles of the future, and Moore would be the league's most expensive swing tackle in the NFL. Additionally, Moore plays exclusively at left tackle and the Steelers were unwilling to move him to right tackle when Chukwuma Okorafor was in the doghouse in 2023 or last season when Jones or Fautanu—two left tackles by trade—were forced to compete for the starting right tackle spot.
Letting Moore walk in free agency is an easy decision the Steelers won't think twice about. If Pittsburgh didn't have so much salary cap space to spend, they would likely fetch a high compensatory pick for Moore.
Whether they get one is beside the point. The Pittsburgh Steelers can just sit back and laugh at whatever team decides to overpay for Dan Moore Jr. in free agency.