The Pittsburgh Steelers made significant strides to improving their roster this offseason, specifically the offensive line. James Daniels and Mason Cole were signed from the NFC North and will be key starters on this year's team. Chukwuma Okorafor earned a pricey extension, locking down the right tackle position for the near-future.
Despite these improvements, the group still has a ways to go, and it's still a weak spot on the team. Bleacher Report's Alex Kay recently published a story on bold predictions for five trade targets across the NFL. Before anyone freaks out, he did preface it with the word "bold." The Steelers were mentioned in one of his bold trades, for New York Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton.
"The Pittsburgh Steelers may be the most desperate after deploying a line that Pro Football Focus ranked No. 26 in the league last year," Kay said in his article. "Rookie left tackle Dan Moore Jr. was one of the most disappointing players on the unit, earning a lowly 57.8 PFF grade while giving up seven sacks and getting flagged for five penalties over 1,079 snaps.
He’s one of the projected returning starters on a line that PFF projects to be the third-worst in the league in 2022. While Becton may not be in peak form right now, he did have a promising 74.4 PFF grade as a rookie. HE could be an ideal buy-low candidate to improve Pittsburgh’s offensive line as it prepares for life without longtime quarterback Ben Roethlisberger."
KANSAS CITY, MO - JANUARY 16: Pittsburgh Steelers offensive tackle Dan Moore Jr. (65) blocks Kansas City Chiefs defensive end Frank Clark (55) in the third quarter of an AFC wild card playoff game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs on Jan 16, 2022 at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO. (Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The proposed deal was a second-round and fourth-round draft pick in next year's 2023 NFL Draft. First, let's examine the comments on Dan Moore Jr. His PFF grades aren't the most appealing by any means, but we all know those can be a bit touchy. Moore showed growth as the season went on, and let's keep in mind that he was just a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. Getting 16 starts out of a fourth-round pick in their rookie season should be deemed a success, and longtime Steelers OG Ramon Foster affirmed Moore's talents early in the week. Foster said the "sky is the limit" for the sophomore offensive tackle.
Moore's progression was on full display in Week 17 against the Cleveland Browns, where he helped hold star DE Myles Garrett without a sack. This isn't all to say I would definitively take Moore over Becton for the future, but it's a debate. Becton was a top-15 pick for a reason, but through two seasons, he's failed to utilize a lot of his talent. While it's been a disappointing start to his NFL career, I would be shocked to see the Jets move on from Becton so quickly.
Omar Khan is introduced as the Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager at a press conference at the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex, Friday, May 27, 2022 in Pittsburgh, PA. (Karl Roser/Pittsburgh Steelers)
Additionally, why would the GM Omar Khan and the Steelers give up a second and fourth-round draft pick for a guy that the Jets want no part of (in this scenario)? He's proved to be out of shape at times, as the Jets have had issues with his conditioning. Not to mention, the Steelers will likely give Moore at least another year or two to lock down the future at his position. Now, if the Jets were to make an alarming move like cutting Becton, that would be a potential high-upside signing. With this all being said, the likelihood of this trade idea is about 1%, as it was purely theoretical.
What do you guys think about this trade idea? Are you confident in the future of Dan Moore Jr., or would you pursue a high-upside guy like Becton? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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