Steelers OT Dan Moore Jr.'s Value Will Earn Him A Massive Salary Increase In 2025

The Pittsburgh Steelers' first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft seems like it will have a massive impact on a player already on the roster, Dan Moore Jr. Since the Steelers chose Troy Fautanu, the offensive tackle out of Washington with that pick, it all but ensures that the team will cut ties with Moore. The question is when?

Before the draft, many fans prioritized getting Broderick Jones back to his natural spot on the left side of the line by drafting a right tackle. This made the Fautanu selection shocking to those who assumed they wouldn't pick another left tackle. Now, the Steelers will be tasked with figuring out who will play on the left side of the line and who will take the right.  

Gerry Dulac from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette joined Steve Jones on The Steve Jones Show on WKOK 1070 AM to discuss the offensive line's possibilities. Dulac thinks it's ridiculous that people were calling for the team to replace Moore. In fact, he believes that Moore will be getting paid handsomely after this season. 

He sees Moore as a starting tackle, and did not expect the team to prioritize tackle over center with the first pick. His feeling was that if they had a shot at a strong center, they should draft one with their 20th overall pick, rather than replacing a perfectly good tackle. Dulac isn't the first to suggest that Steelers fans don't appreciate what Moore brings. 

"You know Dan Moore's going to be a free agent next year. They won't re-sign him. He'll actually go out on the free agent market, and he'll get a massive contract as an NFL left tackle who has started every game since his rookie season [that he's been healthy]," said Dulac emphatically.

It is hard to argue that Moore hasn't outperformed his draft spot. The Steelers chose him in the fourth round in 2021, and as Dulac said, he has started in nearly every game since then. Moore, who will only be 26 this season, is reportedly appreciated far more by the organization than by the fans and Pro Football Focus (PFF), who graded Moore a 51.7 for the 2023 season. That grade has only fueled the fans' determination to see him replaced.  

Others note that Moore has improved every year, even earning an NFL bonus for improvement after 2023. With a positive attitude, he has stepped up to the challenges and pressures of a dysfunctional offense under former Offensive Coordinator Matt Canada. When Fautanu was selected, Moore, always a professional, was one of the first players to extend a welcome. 

He also has been available nearly every game, not suffering the injuries or ailments that often plague linemen. What Moore doesn't bring is flexibility. Fans want him gone mostly because he cannot play on the right side of the line, which means that Jones, who played left tackle at the University of Georgia, is playing there instead. While Jones has shown versatility, you wonder how much untapped potential is missed because of the move. 

Now, with Fautanu joining Jones, it is hard to imagine a future that involves Moore. However, the Steelers are also known to ease rookies into starting slowly. Perhaps they will allow Moore to start and give Fautanu time to develop. It is also possible that Moore is part of some upcoming trade package that lands the Steelers some other position of need.  

How Much Could Steelers' Dan Moore Jr. Potentially Earn In 2025?

Moore is still playing on his rookie contract, and his average salary is just under $1.5 million. He has clearly performed well enough to warrant a significant pay raise but not sufficiently enough to put him at the top of the list. The top-paid left tackle in the league is Laremy Tunsil from the Houston Texans. He makes an average of $25 million a year. Tunsil, 30, is a huge part of why the Texans offense has become so successful. 

The salaries start to drop off rapidly after that, with the rest in the $4-$7 million range per year. While Moore has improved each year, his low grade from PFF will be one of the arguments teams will use to negotiate his agent down. 

You have to wonder if the Steelers love Moore so much, why is Dulac convinced that he can make so much more elsewhere? Wouldn't it have made sense for the Steelers to keep him as a starter? During the offseason, General Manager Omar Khan commented about how much the Steelers value versatility. If that's the case, then Moore does not fit into that master plan.

What do you think about Moore? Is he worth keeping around? What did you think about the Fautanu selection? Click to comment below!

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