Steelers' Unexpected Release Of 3-Year Starter Potentially On The Table Come Late August

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a clear vision since General Manager Omar Khan was promoted and Andy Weidl was hired to be his righthand man. The organization seems to have planned out a way to get back to the franchise's roots when it comes to the trenches. Specifically, the offensive line has been overhauled since the 2022 offseason. The trend continued when Troy Fautanu, Zach Frazier and Mason McCormick were selected with three of the team's first five picks in the 2024 NFL Draft. Khan has not been afraid to move on quickly from former Kevin Colbert draft picks, and he might not be done, either.

Pittsburgh began the 2024 version of revamping the line with the releases of two guys who began 2023 as starters. Both Mason Cole and Chukwuma Okorafor were shown the door after disappointing campaigns. After the selection of Fautanu, it became increasingly more likely that Dan Moore Jr. would not be the starter for the entire 2024 season, but he might not even make it there.

Fautanu spent rookie minicamp at right tackle for the most part, further leading to speculation regarding the Steelers' plan to get 2023 first-rounder Broderick Jones to his natural spot on the left side. If that occurs and Moore can't work as a true swing tackle, with the ability to step in at either tackle position, he might be expendable. Someone else may be better suited for the job.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette insider Ray Fittipaldo was asked in his weekly chat about Moore, and if he can't prove to be valuable on both sides, his time may be running thin.

"He's likely a backup, although his roster spot would not be secure if he can't play on the right side of the line," Fittipaldo wrote.

Moore was selected in the fourth round during the 2021 NFL Draft. He has been as reliable as they come, playing in and starting 49 games since then. Unfortunately, the desire to get Jones on the left side for the long-term possesses a problem for Moore, as he hasn't gotten experience on the right side to warrant the role of a true swing tackle.

It's hard to believe that the Steelers would simply move on from Moore as Fittipaldo suggests the possibility. There is already a precedent for this in the Khan era. In 2023, prior to the season, he dealt both Kevin Dotson and Kendrick Green after the organization came to a realization that neither would be part of the future plans within the franchise.

Fittipaldo did mention that it's possible he would only go for a seventh-round pick after a fan tossed out a sixth-rounder as potential return for Moore. Regardless, he doesn't provide much value if he can't play right tackle. If Fautanu was in the starting lineup and succumbed to injury, it would be taking a step backwards if Jones had to move back to the right just in order to accommodate Moore.

This leads one to believe that using a different option on the roster, or bringing in a veteran with experience on both sides, is a better choice if Fautanu beats out Moore for the starting job in training camp. Time will tell, but it certainly feels as if Moore's time with the Steelers could come to an end a little bit sooner than many may have expected.

Steelers Showcasing Clear Vision When It Comes To New Offensive Approach

Arthur Smith will take over as the team's new offensive coordinator and it's becoming very evident that the ground-and-pound playbook will be back in the Steel City. Fortifying the offensive line is an obvious goal and it does no good to let Fautanu sit on the bench if he will be the long-term solution for Pittsburgh. Moore worked out at right tackle in the 2023 offseason on his own a bit, and if he wants to stay on the roster for 2024, hopefully he got several reps in as he enters the final year of his rookie contract.