Steelers 2-a-days: Faith shown in Dan Moore Jr., T.D. Moultry a rookie to keep an eye on
Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2022 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly-alphabetical order, two per day, between June 11 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.
OT DAN MOORE JR.
Experience: 2nd season
Contract status: $999,476 cap hit in 2022, signed through 2024
2022 outlook: Moore was the fourth of the four consecutive picks on offense the Steelers used to open the 2021 draft. All four started last season, and Moore was essentially handed the critical left tackle job again for 2022. The Steelers did not make a meaningful signing or draft choice at tackle, and Moore was unquestionably the first-team LT during organized team activities and minicamp this summer. The Steelers’ actions (or lack thereof, in regards to acquiring others at his position) in recent months show they have a great deal of confidence in Moore to be their long-term left tackle.
That doesn’t mean Moore should get too comfortable, though. While he was a pleasant surprise as a full-time rookie starter who was a fourth-round pick, Moore was far from perfect. Pro Football Focus, for example, graded him 50th overall and 52nd in run blocking out of the 55 NFL offensive tackles who played the most snaps last season. Moore was one part of a unit that struggled to create holes for fellow rookie Najee Harris or allow aging quarterback Ben Roethlisberger much time to throw.
Still, Moore showed enough that there is promise for the future. Barring an extraordinary circumstance, he’s the Steelers’ man at left tackle in 2022. A solid season in which he shows improvement and growth will go a long way toward convincing management he can still be their left tackle in, say, 2028.
The #Steelers didn't add a proven starter at offensive tackle, leaving many to think that the organization has unwavering faith in Dan Moore Jr. to again handle the left tackle job in 2022. https://t.co/OKAZZjcVpG
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) May 30, 2022
OLB T.D. MOULTRY
Experience: Rookie
Contract status: $707,500 cap hit in 2022, signed through 2024
2022 outlook: Moultry set a record for games played for a storied SEC program in Auburn, appearing in 59 between 2017-21. He had four sacks and 7 ½ tackles for loss in 10 games last season. At 6-foot-2, 253 pounds, he’s a little shorter and “stockier” than the prototype for the Steelers’ outside linebackers. But as an undrafted free agent, he’s not expected to be ideal.
For a relatively productive player from a big-time college program, Moultry could be worth the shot. Like any player in his shoes, showing he can contribute on special teams will be his key during camp. It’s highly unlikely Moultry could end up with a role on defense this season — making the practice squad should be a reasonable goal — but the Steelers are thin at outside linebacker, so who knows if an opportunity will arise because of injury or other factors? Remember, the Steelers deployed John Simon (who?) for a game at OLB last season.
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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