The Pittsburgh Steelers are paying attention to the contract extensions being signed around the league at this point, as some of these numbers could dictate what their targeted free agents would command, as well as the pending free agents still on the team until the new league year. If Geno Smith gets the contract that he reportedly wants, that could potentially raise the price of both Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, which would make it significantly harder to sign either one of them. That is true for other positions as well.
AP Photo / Matt Freed
Steelers' Russell Wilson and Justin Fields warming up before a game.
The best offensive tackle in free agency, Ronnie Stanley, received a new deal to stay with the Baltimore Ravens. His extension is worth $60 million over the next three years.
Ravens are re-signing LT Ronnie Stanley to a three-year, $60 million deal. pic.twitter.com/udQObfFu3d
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 8, 2025
With that deal done, the offensive tackle market is very weak, as it usually is. One of the headliners of the class is the Steelers' own Dan Moore Jr. Insider Albert Breer broke down what the Stanley deal could mean for Moore.
With Ronnie Stanley, the free-agent left tackle market is headed by Pittsburgh's Dan Moore and Minnesota's Cam Robinson, both of whom could command close to $15 million per. San Francisco's Jaylon Moore is probably next after those two.
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) March 8, 2025
Moore has had a less-than-stellar career so far in Pittsburgh, but the fact that he started in every single game he was healthy for during his four-year career could lead to some teams giving him a nice contract and a starting job. Of course, the Steelers spent both of their previous first-round picks on his position, so they have no reason to keep him.
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Steelers left tackle Dan Moore Jr. before a 2023 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
Left tackle is seen as one of the most important positions in the league. It's arguably second on the list only behind quarterback, which means the market value automatically increases for the top players, whether they truly play up to that value or not. In this case, it's safe to say that Moore has not exactly played up to his projected deal.
There are some teams that are desperate for any sort of help at that position. The Kansas City Chiefs had so little faith in their offensive tackle group that they had their elite guard Joe Thuney move over and try to block the blindside. The result was one of the worst offensive line performances in the history of the Super Bowl.
Cam Robinson is the only other pending free agent that could possibly be considered starting-caliber, and he got traded in the 2024 season after the Jacksonville Jaguars refused to ink him to a long-term deal. While he is likely considered better than Moore by the league, Robinson is not the most exciting name either.
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Offensive tackle Dan Moore. Jr. lines up for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Steelers Could Get Nice Bonus For Losing Moore
If Moore does end up with a contract that's worth around $15 million per year, the Steelers would likely end up with some sort of compensation pick in 2026. The pick would depend on all of the other contracts that are signed in free agency, but luckily for the Steelers, the class as a whole is somewhat weak.
With that said, the Steelers could realistically receive a late fourth- or fifth-round pick in compensation for losing Moore. If the overall market is really rough, they could even potentially receive a third-round pick, although that is unlikely. Even for the struggles he had in Pittsburgh, the team is likely happy with getting a mid-round pick for losing a former fourth rounder.
What do you think about Moore's potential salary after Stanley's extension? Do you think he could really sign for about $15 million per year with another team? Let us know in the comments or on X at @Steelers_ChrisB.
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