Heading into the season, the Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line was seen as a major concern. The unit had a few new members, along with a new offensive line coach in Pat Meyer. With the team sitting at 2-6 two months into the season, one would think that meant the OL hasn’t been good. Even further, you’d be more inclined to think the same when looking at the offensive numbers, as Pittsburgh ranks dead-last in the NFL in points per game.
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Shockingly enough, the group has held its own this season. One could argue they’ve been the best part of the offense with the skill position players struggling. Sophomore left tackle Dan Moore Jr. impressed at training camp in Latrobe, leading many to believe he was ready to take a leap forward in Year 2. Then, the preseason came along. The offensive line was quite pitiful in those three preseason contests, which created the worries before the regular season had even began.
After an up-and-down rookie season that ended well in 2021, Moore has shown some improvements in his second season. When speaking to the media, Meyer talked about those improvements and what's done to get better:
"It's a night and day difference [from when Meyer arrived in training camp]. I think his ceiling is high," Meyer said to reporters. "He's getting better each and every week. The tempo of his feet, his sets, the way he's throwing his hands now which he never did before in the past. I've seen a huge, huge improvement from Dan over the course of 6, 7, 8 months."
Pro Football Focus has Moore as the 37th-rated offensive tackle in the NFL over the first eight weeks of the season. That includes more than just starters on both the left and right side too, a total of 78 qualified guys. Moore has an overall rating of 55.1, while fellow Steelers tackle Chukwuma Okorafor ranks 51st amongst NFL offensive tackles.
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Through two months, a lot of those concerns have been alleviated. The concerns have shifted to the quarterback position and even into the running back group, beginning with Najee Harris. The offensive line still has room to improve, specifically in the running game, but their progress has been encouraging nonetheless.
While Meyer praised Moore's development, he cautioned that it's necessary for a young guy like him. That holds especially true for the position he plays, left tackle. Meyer has shown to be an immense upgrade as the team's OL coach in 2022, as Adrian Klemm struggled to get the group going in 2021. There are different pieces to work with this season, but credit to Meyer for getting this group to play (mostly) well. Penalties are one thing holding this group back from taking that next step.
Meyer runs things a bit differently than Klemm too, which can explain for the group's struggles in the preseason. They had to adjust to new guys along the OL, along with a new coach. As a result, they worked on their communication with each other. Offensive guard James Daniels acknowledged Meyer's aggressive scheme before the season, something that would take a few weeks to get used to.
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What have been your thoughts on Dan Moore Jr.'s play thus far in 2022? What's your opinion on the OL's play as a whole? Can Moore be the team's LT for the future? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!
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